Imam charged with firearm offences

KUALA PILAH: An imam pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here yesterday to three counts of illegally possessing a firearm, ammunition and stealing a gun last month and in 2007.

Sulaiman Abdul Rahman, 63, made the plea after the charges were read to him by the court interpreter before judge Nariman Badruddin.

According to the first charge, the accused, a retired police officer, was said to possess a 38 SPL 3 Smith & Wesson revolver bearing the serial number 335J43 without legal permission at his home at 5568 Jalan Sidang Mohd Nor, Kampung Sungai Pinang, Pulau Indah, Selangor, at 11.40am on Jan 27.

He was charged under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, which provides for imprisonment of up to 14 years and up to six strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.

On the second charge, he was charged with possessing seven rounds for a Winchester 38 Special, one round for the 38 SPL and one round for the 38 SME without permission at the same location, date and time. Upon conviction, he may be jailed for up to seven years, or fined up to RM10,000, or both under Section 8A of the Firearms Act 1960.

On the third charge, Sulaiman was charged with stealing a pistol and 30 bullets from the Kuala Pilah police station’s armoury at 10pm on Dec 27, 2007.

For this charge, he faces up to seven years’ jail, or fine, or both under Section 379 of the Penal Code, upon conviction.

On Jan 26, the New Straits Times reported that the accused allegedly assaulted his wife after the 58-year-old woman leased their rambutan tree to a neighbour in Kampung Bukit Kadir in Nilai. In the incident on Jan 24, the accused allegedly fired a shot. His wife lodged a report later.

The man, however, turned himself in at the Mantin police station at 11pm on the same day. Police, during their investigations, found guns and ammunition at his home in Pulau Indah, Selangor.