PUTRAJAYA, 6 March 2026 (The Capital Post)— The Court of Appeal has fixed March 13 to hear an appeal by political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, concerning the disclosure of a witness statement linked to his ongoing sedition case.
The appeal relates to a High Court ruling that set aside an earlier Sessions Court order directing the prosecution to disclose the witness statement to the defence. The statement had been recorded under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
In January, the High Court ruled that statements taken under Section 112 are legally privileged and cannot be disclosed to the defence due to confidentiality and public policy considerations. The court also noted that such statements are protected under the Evidence Act 1950.
The judicial review had been filed by the prosecution to challenge the Sessions Court’s earlier directive that allowed Chegubard’s legal team to access the witness statement of a journalist linked to the case.
Following the High Court decision, Chegubard’s lawyers indicated their intention to appeal the ruling, arguing that the defence should be allowed to review the statement in order to ensure a fair trial.
The sedition case stems from remarks allegedly made by Chegubard in relation to a casino project proposal in Forest City, Johor.
The Court of Appeal is expected to determine whether the defence should be granted access to the witness statement or whether the High Court’s ruling on its privileged status will stand.-The Capital Post
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