Trio in transgender assault case are SPM students
SEREMBAN: Three of the five people charged in the alleged assault case of a transgender that has seen an outpouring of public outrage will be sitting for their SPM in November.
The juveniles, aged between 16 and 17, along with businessman Syaari Aziz, 37, and college student Muhammad Haiqal Mohammad Aris, who turns 19 in October, have pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to assaulting Shukur Jani.
Urging the court to set bail at RM20,000 in two sureties each, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin asked Sessions Court judge G. Ramesh to consider the nature of the alleged offence.
“In my opinion, my application is extremely reasonable as the charge provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping or a fine upon conviction.
“When we see cases prosecuted by the Securities Commission or the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission, we see bail set at RM50,000 and the maximum at RM1mil although no one is physically injured,” he said.
“The court needs to look at the seriousness of the case,” said Wan Shaharuddin.
Ramesh then set bail at RM10,000 in one surety each and fixed Sept 3 for mention.
The five were accused of assaulting the 32yearold Shukur with a piece of wood and a plastic pipe in front of a shoplot in Taman AST at about 12.15am on Aug 15.
They were charged under Section 326 of the Penal Code with committing the offence with three others still at large.
It was reported that Shukur had, among others, suffered several broken ribs, a ruptured spleen and head injuries which required stitches.
Earlier, lawyer Shahrulazwad Ismail requested for lower bail for Syaari, saying that his client’s business had been affected since his remand last week and that he did not pose a flight risk.
A. Partheeban, who represented one of the juveniles, said his client’s 55yearold father had three children, a wife and a sick mother to provide for.
Zaidi Abdul Hamid, who represented Muhammad Haiqal and the two other juveniles, said his clients were all students, whose parents earned between RM1,000 and RM2,000.
All three, he said, did not have criminal records.