Two men were charged in the Sessions Court in Sepang today with rioting and causing hurt on Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Malaysia Ibrahim Sahib Ansar last Sunday.
Businessman A Kalaimughilan, 25, and taxi driver V Balamurugan, 34, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was read out to them in Tamil, before judge Muhamad Faizal Ismail.
The two friends are jointly charged, with four others still at large, with committing the offence at Level 3, KL International Airport (KLIA), Sepang, Selangor, at 3pm last Sept 4.
The High Commissioner was at the airport to send off the Sri Lankan Minister Daya Gamage and Deputy Minister Anoma Gamage. The incident was captured on the airport’s CCTV system.
They are charged under Section 147 of the Penal Code and face an imprisonment for up to two years, or fine, or, both, if found guilty.
The court allowed RM7,000 bail with one surety for the accused and fixed the trial for October 7. Deputy public prosecutor Fariza Hamzah prosecuted while Counsel M. Manoharan represented Kalaimughilan and Balamurugan.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Fariza Hamzah, who prosecuted, requested bail at RM20,000 in one surety on grounds that the incident occurred at the entry point to the country and it could tarnish Malaysia’s image. However, lawyer M Manoharan, representing the two accused, requested for a lower bail as his clients were from poor families and had their own families to support.
They are also Malaysians and with no previous record, he added.
– Asian Tribune