12 fined for attacking policemen
KUALA LUMPUR: A tense atmosphere enveloped at the Selayang magistrate’s court here yesterday when 12 men were fined RM3,800, in default of eight months’ imprisonment, for participating in an unlawful assembly and threatening policemen near Rawang last month.
M. Muniandy, 49; P. Navin Prakash, 18; M. Prem, 21; S. Kaamaraasi, 39; M. Rames, 33; S. Vsanthan, 31; M. Kishokman, 20; G. Peter Jebasegaran, 24; M. Vinos, 21; R. J. Thivakaran Pillai, 20; M. Arumugam, 32; and Ang Lian Hooi, 37, pleaded guilty when the charge was read to them before magistrate Nurul Izzah Hassan Masri.
Some of the accused were seen hugging their family members after the proceedings. Seven of them have been remanded at the Sungai Buloh prison since last month.
The defendants were charged with participating in an unlawful assembly and threatening policemen on duty with wooden sticks and chairs in front of Zakaria mini market at 5pm on Oct 15.
The offence falls under Section 149 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 148 of the same code, which carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment or fine or both, upon conviction.
Counsel Mohd Riza Zakaria, who represented all of the accused, when pleading for leniency, said the commotion occurred due to a misunderstanding.
He claimed that the accused had mistaken the policemen for robbers as they were not in uniform and were in a heavily-tinted vehicle roaming the supermarket.
“They had engaged the victims as a precautionary measure to prevent any criminal activity around the area,” he said.
However, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Zuhaini Mahamad Amin pressed for a deterrent sentence, stating that the case was of public interest.