Microchip theft suspects charged

Four claim trial over Rm22mil robbery

BUTTERWORTH: Four men were charged in a Sessions Court here with robbing a warehouse in the Prai Industrial area near Bukit Mertajam and carting away 268 boxes of microchip worth RM22mil.

S. Thurai Raj, 27, A. Jaykumar, 26, S. Somasundaran, 24, and G. Hari Kirusnan, 25, claimed trial to a joint charge of gang robbery.

They were charged with committing the offence armed with a sword, a parang and metal rods at Moduslink Sdn Bhd in Lorong Perusahaan Maju 8 at 2.26am on Oct 7.

The offence under Sections 395 and 397 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping.

Sessions judge Nabisha Ibrahim set bail at RM30,000 with two sureties each, ordered them to report to the nearest police station once a month and fixed Nov 12 for mention.

DPP Lim Saw Sim prosecuted. Jaykumar was represented by counsel Jagjit Singh while the other three were unrepresented.

At another Sessions Court, five men pleaded not guilty to dishonestly possessing 256 boxes of microchip believed to be part of the 268 boxes involved in the robbery.

Lim Heang Eu, 40, Ong Liang Poh, 37, Lim Ban Leng, 26, Tan Hee Hock, 23, and M. Ravindran, 48, were charged with committing the crime at the same place and time as the robbery.

They were jointly charged under Section 412 of the Penal Code for possession of stolen items, read together with Section 34.

Sessions Court judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi set bail at RM8,000 with one surety each, fixed Dec 6 for mention and ordered all the accused to report to the nearest police station every Saturday until the trial.

DPP Fauziah Daud appeared for the prosecution while counsel Rafael Abdullah, C.P. Ang, S. Prakash and Andy Ooi represented Ravindran, Heang Eu, Tan and Ong respectively.

Ban Leng was unrepresented.