Controversial blogger pays damages with money raised from crowdfunding.
Papagomo, whose real name is Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, has settled his outstanding damages amounting to about RM950,000 for defaming Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the exact amount due was RM951,260.27 but he gave Anwar an extra three sen “as donation”. The amount was paid to Anwar’s counsel Latheefa Koya and J Leela before High Court deputy registrar Husna Dzulkifli in chambers today.
Speaking to reporters after the proceedings, Papagomo’s counsel Irna Shahana Samsudin said that her client had paid RM950,000 in the form of a bank draft, RM1,260 in one ringgit notes plus 30 sen.
Irna said that the court had set Dec 5 to withdraw the bankruptcy proceedings against her client and that since the due sum had been settled, Anwar’s lawyers would withdraw the creditor’s petition tomorrow.
Confirming she received the bank draft and cash, Latheefa said, “We will have to cash the bank draft to confirm that all the due sum has been settled.”
Apart from RM800,000 in damages, Papagomo was required to pay four years’ interest on the amount as well as costs of RM50,000.
In his RM100 million suit filed on March 21, 2013, Anwar claimed the defendant had posted lewd images said to be of him with another man in his blog between March 16 and 20 of that year.
On Feb 28, 2014, High Court Judicial Commissioner Rosilah Yop awarded RM800,000 in damages to Anwar and RM50,000 in costs.
In December 2015, the Court of Appeal upheld the damages granted to Anwar over his defamation claim and added another RM10,000 in costs.
The Federal Court later ordered the defendant to pay another RM10,000 in costs after it ruled that his appeal had no merit.
Anwar filed the petition on June 30 to recover the money.
Papagomo said the money was raised from crowdfunding over the last three months.
“The money mostly came from Umno members and other well-wishers,” he told reporters.