Two Thai Nationals Charged With Murdering MMEA Member in Perlis

KANGAR: Two Thai men were charged in the Magistrates’ Court here today with the murder of a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officer late last month.

However, no pleas were recorded from Pradit Rimat, 22, and Rotchahan Tehpuyu, 21, after the charges were read to them in Thai by an interpreter before Magistrate Ana Rozana Mohd Nor, as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The two men were jointly charged with murdering Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, near the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) jetty in Sungai Padang here, between 11 pm on October 26 and 1.30 am on October 27.

The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and at least 12 strokes of the cane if the death penalty is not imposed, upon conviction.

The court denied bail and fixed January 5 next year for case mention, pending the post-mortem and chemical reports.

The prosecution was conducted by MMEA Deputy Public Prosecutors Wirna Arifin and Kamaliza Md Zain, while both accused were unrepresented.

Meanwhile, in the Sessions Court before Judge Sharifah Norazlita Syed Salim Idid, the two men also faced charges of smuggling nine Myanmar migrants using a boat without a registration number.

No pleas were recorded from either accused for the offence allegedly committed in the waters off the Sungai Padang river mouth here, between 11 pm on October 26 and 12.30 am on October 27.

The charge was brought under Section 26J of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to five years, a maximum fine of RM250,000, or both, upon conviction.

In the same court, however, both accused pleaded guilty to charges of entering Malaysia through an ungazetted entry point at the same location and time.

The charges were framed under Section 5(2), read together with Section 56(1A)(a) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, and are punishable under Section 57 of the same Act, which provides for a fine not exceeding RM10,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Afiqah Zakaria requested a new mention date for the immigration case as the prosecution was still awaiting relevant documents from the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Judge Sharifah Norazlita fixed December 15 for the mention of the ATIPSOM and immigration cases, as well as for the appointment of a Myanmar-language interpreter for seven Myanmar nationals, including a woman, aged between 22 and 43, who were charged with entering the country illegally.

The court denied bail to the two Thai men and the seven Myanmar nationals involved.

BERNAMA