Ebit’s lawyer, Akberdin Abdul Kader, said sessions court judge Sayani Nor delivered the decision online yesterday after an inter partes hearing earlier.

“The court also dismissed their application to set aside an ex-parte order obtained by Ebit last year,” he said.

The preacher had on Oct 10 obtained an interim injunction pending the hearing of the application inter partes.

Akberdin said the judge also ordered that influencer Ariz Ramli and Dita Restu Amanda pay Ebit RM1,000 in costs.

Sayani has fixed the matter for case management on Feb 15, with trial dates likely to be fixed on that day.

In an interview with Ariz, Amanda claimed that Ebit had sexually assaulted her.

On Sept 29, Ebit filed the suit in the Shah Alam sessions court naming the duo as defendants.

In his statement of claim, he said both defendants were responsible for posting a podcast and six videos on YouTube and Instagram between Sept 15 and Sept 22 last year.

He said the postings had tarnished his reputation among millions who follow him on social media, portraying him as immoral and a criminal.

Ebit wants the defendants to publish an unconditional and unequivocal public apology on certain social media platforms, damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Previously, Berita Harian reported that Ebit had lodged a police report over a viral video of the interview.

In the video, the woman claimed she was sexually harassed by a well-known independent preacher from Malaysia earlier last year.

The defendants are relying on the defence of justification and fair comment to defeat the suit.