KUALA LUMPUR – Lorry driver Sathiskumar Balakrishnan, 44, has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to two charges linked to an influencer’s death in July, which was believed to have stemmed from bullying.
Kuala Lumpur sessions court judge Siti Aminah Ghazali handed down the sentence after Satishkumar changed his plea to guilty to the two charges during today’s case mention.
The court reportedly ordered him to serve 12 months on each charge, with the imprisonment term to run concurrently from the date of his arrest on July 10.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sabri Othman requested for the court to impose a prison sentence, citing the severity of the offence, public interest and the victims’ right.
Satishkumar’s defence counsel Izwan Ishak, from the National Legal Aid Foundation, appealed for a lighter sentence as his client earns only RM1,200 a month and is supporting his disabled wife and their three children aged between 18 to 21.
On July 16, Satishkumar had pleaded guilty to issuing obscene comments against influencer Rajeswary Appahu, also known as Esha, using the TikTok account @dulal_brothers_360.
The offence was allegedly committed at 10.12pm on June 30.
However, at that time, he claimed trial to insulting the modesty of Rajeswary’s mother, R. Puspa, via the same TikTok account at 10.15pm on the same date.
The first charge was framed under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities, punishable by up to one year imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000 or both upon conviction.
The second charge was made under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum imprisonment term of five years, a fine or both upon conviction.
Rajeswary was found dead in her Setapak home on July 5. A month prior, she had lodged a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters, detailing the violent threats made against her on social media.
On July 12, Rajeswary’s mother lodged a police report stating that TikTok users had continued to make disparaging remarks against her daughter despite her death. – September 25, 2024
