KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here has fixed 6 Feb for the re-mention of blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin's criminal defamation case.

Judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat set the date after allowing the application by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Anselm Charles Fernandis for a postponement pending the disposal of Raja Petra's bid to have the case transferred back to the Magistrate's Court.

Raja Petra, 58, was charged in the Magistrate's Court on 17 July with defaming deputy prime minister's wife Datin Rosmah Mansor, Acting Colonel Abdul Aziz Buyong and wife Colonel Norhayati Hassan in a statutory declaration he made at the Jalan Duta Court Complex here at 10.25am on 18 June.

On 15 Aug, Magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham allowed DPP Amir Nasruddin's application to have the case transferred to the Sessions Court on grounds of public interest.

On 25 Nov, Raja Petra filed a notice of motion at the High Court for the case to be transferred back to the Magistrate's Court or have it referred to the Federal Court to iron out constitutional issues. The High Court will hear Raja Petra's application on 20 Jan.

If convicted, he can be jailed up to two years or fined or both.

In Monday's proceedings, Sekeri also allowed the prosecution's application to change Aziz and Norhayati's military ranks in the charge sheet to Lieutenant Colonel. (Bernama)