Taxi driver pleads not guilty to robbery

KUALA LUMPUR: A taxi driver pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here yesterday to a charge of robbing a Myanmar labourer of RM1,700 in cash on Thursday.

A Elangovan, 37, made the plea after the charge was read to him in front of Sessions judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah.

The man was charged with two individuals who were still at large for carrying out the gang robbery over RM1,700 in cash belonging to Abdul Shukor Habibul Rahman, 25, along Jalan Stesen Sentral, KL Sentral, Brickfields here at 5 pm, on Dec 20.

He was charged under Section 395 of the Penal Code which provided a maximum 20-year jail and also caning if guilty.

Earlier, deputy Public Prosecutor Amirul Asyraf Abdul Rashid did not offer bail as it was a serious offence but the accused, represented by lawyer Tharamjit Singh, urged that he (Elangovan) be allowed bail.

‘’My client works as a taxi driver, earning RM1,200 a month and is the sole breadwinner of his family. He has a wife who is not working and two small children. I urge the court to allow him bail,’’ said the lawyer.

The court allowed Elangovan a RM5,000 bail in one surety on the condition he must report to the nearest police station every two weeks and must not disturb the prosecution witnesses, and fixed Jan 16, 2019 for remention of case. - Bernama