TANJUNG MALIM, Oct 26 — Four men pleaded not guilty at the Slim River Magistrate’s Court here today to a charge of obstructing a policeman from carrying out his duties near the Slim River Toll Plaza, on October 16.
The accused, P. Panneerselvan, 32, S. Vijandran, 41, A. Sivakumar, 28, and R. Durai Raaj, 25, made the plea after the charge was read out to them in Tamil before Magistrate Nurul Hidayah Ismail.
They were accused of purposely obstructing a civil servant, Corporal Muhd Syahrul Azuwan Ab Manaf, from carrying out his duty as a policeman by not cooperating after being repeatedly warned to leave the location.
Panneerselvan, Sivakumar and Durai Raaj, who are tow truck workers while Vijandran who was unemployed, were charged with committing the offence by the roadside near the Slim River Toll Plaza, Slim River-Tanjung Malim at about 3.30am, on October 16.
They were charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code and read together with Section 34 of the same law, which provides for a maximum jail term of two years or a maximum fine of RM10,000 or both, upon conviction.
In the same proceeding, Durai Raaj also pleaded not guilty to the charge of using criminal force by pushing Muhd Syahrul and unzipping his police vest, at the same place and time.
He was charged under Section 353 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine or both, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Nur Diyana Zubir prosecuted while the four accused were not represented.
The court then set November 9 for re-mention.
— Bernama
