GEORGE TOWN, July 24 — Seven men, including three policemen with the rank of lance corporal and corporal, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to charges of armed robbery of a money changer, last week.
The three policemen — Lance Corporal Nazarudin Abdul Manan, 36; Corporal Khairul Hisham Hamzah, 42; and Corporal Wan Abd Rahim Md Shariff, 36, — attached to Batu Gajah district police headquarters, Perak, together with Wan Abd Rahim’s twin brother Wan Abd Rahman, 36; Mohamad Sahar Ismail, 43, and two Indonesians, namely, Guno Sutowo, 24, and Iis Sutejo, 29, made the plea after the charges against them were read out simultaneously before Judge Mazdi Abdul Hamid.
They were jointly charged with committing armed robbery at MSKM Mohamed Haniffa Forex Sdn Bhd, whereby they were alleged to have robbed various banknotes and coins as well as a projector, worth RM42,700, when armed with a pistol at No 59, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, here at 9.45pm, on July 14.
They were charged under Section 395 of the Penal Code read together with Section 397 of the same law, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Farah Aimy Zainul Anwar did not offer bail but lawyer Mohd Khairul Hafizuddin representing three policemen and Wan Abd Rahman, appealed for lower bail on the grounds that they had no potential to flee.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Sahar, who was not represented, also appealed for lower bail on the grounds that as a factory worker, he has four children to support with one of them still studying at a public institution of higher learning.
The court then allowed the three policemen, Wan Abd Rahman and Mohamad Sahar, a bail of RM10,000 in one surety each, and ordered them to report to the nearest police station once a month as well as to surrender their passports to the court.
However, the court did not allow bail for the two Indonesians who were not represented as they did not have complete documents.
The court also set Aug 28 for mention. — Bernama
