Nama Diplomat Itu Didedahkan: Muhammad Rizalman Ismail

KELAB GREENBOC

Mahkamah New Zealand benarkan maklumat penyerang seks diplomat Malaysia didedah

Mahkamah Tinggi New Zealand hari ini menarik balik arahan sekatan dan mendedahkan maklumat mengenai penyerang seks diplomat warga Malaysia.

Kerajaan New Zealand mengesahkan individu diplomat tersebut adalah dari Malaysia dan bernama Muhammad Rizulman Ismail.

Menurut laporan media New Zealand, keputusan terbaru sekaligus membatalkan keputusan awal sekatan yang dibuat di Mahkamah Daerah Wellington sebelum ini, di mana penyerang seks tersebut dilepaskan kerana imuniti politik. ~TMI

Sex case diplomat named
The diplomat at the centre of an alleged sexual assault case can now be named after media organisations challenged a judge's decision to grant permanent name suppression.

He is Mohammed Rizalman Bin Ismail and worked at the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington.

Ismail, who claimed diplomatic immunity, could not initially be identified because of a suppression order imposed by a Wellington District Court judge on May 30.

However, Malaysian media were now reporting the case, and its Foreign Affairs Ministry planned to hold a press conference about it today.

An urgent hearing to overturn the suppression ruling was held in the High Court at Wellington today, where the name suppression was overturned.

Media organisations, including the New Zealand Herald, challenged the decision to grant name suppression.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully earlier said the Solicitor-General had advised the Government abide by the suppression ruling while it was in place.

"I can't see any good public policy reason why you'd want to protect someone from publicity given there won't be a trial."

Ismail, in his 30s, left the country after being charged by Wellington police with burglary and assault with intent to rape.

He had followed a 21-year-old woman to her Brooklyn home on May 9 when the alleged assault occurred.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs formally asked for Malaysia to waive diplomatic immunity, but it declined.

The Government said the man could still face charges in Malaysia.

MFAT called in Malaysia's Head of Mission last night to tell them that New Zealand expected Ismail to face the consequences of his actions.

Prime Minister John Key said the country had reassured MFAT that they were taking the issue very seriously.

"We made it quite clear that we were under no illusion about how seriously New Zealand took the issue, and we expect the person to be held to account," he said.

Lawyer for the media organisations, Robert Stewart, told the court the appeal related to a decision by Judge Bruce Davidson to grant name suppression.

His notes had not been released into reasons why he granted name suppression, which left media "flying blind" because they would not know which aspects of the decision to appeal, he said.

The Malaysian Government was issuing a statement at 4pm today (NZT), where at least the country, and possibly the man's name would be released.

Media here would then be in a situation where the rest of the world would have the details, but if they shared those details, they would be in the "extremely invidious position" of breaching court orders, Mr Stewart said.

Ismail was not represented at court, but Barbara Hunt acted as the court's amicus in the matter.

Police lawyer Grant Burston said the Crown's position was they did not oppose the appeal.

There did not seem to be an evidentiary reason for the judge to order name suppression as it would not identify the victim or prejudice any future trial because the man had invoked diplomatic immunity.

Justice Collins had the file in front of him, but there were some hand-written notes of Judge Davidson's he was unable to read.

Ms Hunt was the man's lawyer on the day of his first appearance and applied for the initial name suppression.

That was because he had not yet told his family, but he was represented by his employer.

Also because of the seriousness of the charge and health issues that needed to be explored, she said.

In later court dates the man had not been represented, she said.

"His interests do need to be considered."

Wisma Putra sahkan diplomat Malaysia suspek kes pencabulan seks di New Zealand
Wisma Putra mengesahkan seorang diplomat Malaysia merupakan suspek kepada kes pencabulan seks di New Zealand, mengatakan beliau akan berdepan dengan perbicaraan jika diberikan jaminan keadilan.

Menteri Luar Datuk Seri Anifah Aman memberitahu The Star semalam, tertuduh adalah diplomat Malaysia dan beliau sudah dihantar pulang.

Menurut Associated Press, polis menahan diplomat itu pada 9 Mei dan mendakwanya atas tuduhan memecah rumah dan serangan dengan niat untuk merogol, kedua-duanya membawa hukuman penjara maksimum 10 tahun.

Bagaimanapun, lelaki itu mendapat imuniti diplomatik dan sudah meninggalkan negara itu.

Perdana Menteri New Zealand John Key mendedahkan semalam bahawa kerajaannya sudah menuntut imuniti diplomatik lelaki yang dituduh melakukan "pencabulan seks dengan niat merogol" di Wellington bulan lepas agar dibatalkan, tetapi ditolak.

Apabila ditanya tentang sebab mengapa diplomat tersebut dipanggil kembali, Anifah memberitahu The Star mungkin terdapat salah faham emel yang dihantar ke Wisma Putra oleh Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan New Zealand.

Anifah yang akan mengadakan sidang media tentang isu tersebut pada hari ini berkata diplomat tersebut akan dikembalikan ke Wellington hanya jika dijanjikan perbicaraan yang adil dan nyawanya tidak terancam di sana.

New Zealand (NZ) mendedahkan bahawa ia sedang mengejar pemindahan diplomat tersebut yang dituduh 'memecah rumah dengan tujuan merogol' di Wellington bulan lepas.

Diplomat tersebut yang dalam linkungan 30-an ditahan kerana didakwa mengikuti wanita 21 tahun ke rumahnya kemudian mencabulnya. Beliau juga didakwa dengan rompakan dalam insiden yang sama.

Bagaimanapun, beliau 'lari' daripada New Zealand dan pulang ke negaranya apabila menggunakan imuniti diplomatik selepas penahanannya pada 9 Mei.

Identiti serta kewarganegaraan diplomat tersebut masih belum didedahkan media di New Zealand selepas hakim di sana mengeluarkan arahan sekatan atas butir-butir dirinya.

Perdana Menteri NZ John Key memberitahu media pagi semalam bahawa pentadbiran beliau menuntut supaya imuniti diplomatik lelaki tersebut dibatalkan, namun ditolak.

"Adalah keutamaan bagi kami untuk orang ini bertanggungjawab di New Zealand, namun ini ditolak pihak negara lain," Keys dipetik dari media, menambah – beliau diberi jaminan diplomat tersebut akan bertanggungjawab dalam negaranya sendiri.

Sementara itu, Menteri Luar NZ Murray McCully hari ini memberi amaran sekiranya diplomat tersebut tidak didakwa di mahkamah, ia akan memburukkan perhubungan negara yang terlibat dengan New Zealand.

"Ia akan menjejaskan cara kita mengendalikan negara yang terlibat," kata McCulluy kepada akhbar harian New Zealand, The Dominion Post.

Beliau juga dipetik berkata pegawai daripada Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan (MFAT) berkata dengan jelasnya New Zealand mahukan diplomat tersebut, yang kini sudah berada di negara asalnya, akan menghadapi keadilan. ~New Zealand Herald