KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — Five men, including a state assemblyman, pleaded not guilty in three High Courts here today to several charges related to the LTTE terrorist group.
Gadek assemblyman G. Saminathan, 36; scrap metal dealer A. Kalaimughilan, 29; technician S. Arivainthan, 28; postman S. Teeran, 39; and teacher R. Sundram, 53, made the pleas after the charges were read to them in Tamil separately before Justice Muhammad Jamil Hussin, Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh and Judicial Commissioner Datuk Aslam Zainuddin.
Saminathan, Teeran and Sundram were charged with one count each while Kalaimughilan was charged with two counts of possessing LTTE-related items in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Rawang and Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor, respectively, between October 10 and 12 last year.
They were charged under Section 130JB (1) (a) of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of seven years, or a fine, and forfeiture of any of the items, upon conviction.
On a charge of supporting the terrorist group via the Facebook application, Arivainthan and Teeran were alleged to have committed the offence at the office of the Investigating Officer, Division E8 (Counter Terrorism), Special Branch, Bukit Aman here, at 9am and 10am on October 5 and 8, respectively, last year.
Saminathan was also charged with supporting the terrorist group at a ceremony held at the Dewan Kasturi Air Keroh, Melaka, between 8.30am and 10.50pm on October 28, 2018.
For the offence of giving support, they were charged under Section 130J (1) (a) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 30 years, or a fine, and forfeiture of any property used or intended to be used for the offence, upon conviction .
Justice Muhammad Jamil, Judicial Commissioner Ahmad Shahrir and Judicial Commissioner Aslam respectively set February 11, 19 and 20 for case management and submission of documents.
Ahmad Shahrir also set September 7 to 10, 14, 15, 17 and 21 to 24 for Teeran’s trial and October 5 to 8, 12 to 15, and 19 to 22 for Saminathan’s trial.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Rohaiza Abd Rahman, Aliff Asraf Anuar Sharuddin, Mohd Firdaus Abu Hanipah and Azlina Rasdi.
Lawyer T. Rajasegaran represented Kalaimughilan and Teeran while counsel Harshaan Zamani acted on behalf of Arivainthan, Saminathan and Sundram. — Bernama
