KUALA LUMPUR: A Rohingya labourer pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of robbing the home of national badminton legend Datuk Razif Sidek while armed with a knife last month.
Mohamad Fawyas Yasin, 27, is charged with robbing property belonging to Datuk Mohamad Razif Mohd Sidek, 64, armed with a knife, at a house on Jalan Damansara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail at 12.20pm, May 19.
The charge was brought under Section 392 of the Penal Code and read together with Section 397 of the same code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of 14 years and may be fined or whipped, if convicted.
Deputy Public Prosecutor J. Banusha did not offer bail as the offence was serious and the accused’s United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) card had expired.
“If bail is granted and the accused does not appear in court, it will be difficult to track his whereabouts since he does not have a fixed address. In addition, the accused also knows the addresses of the victim and witnesses, so it is feared that the witnesses will be harassed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Mansheel Kaur, representing Mohamad Fawyas, requested a low bail because her client only works as a labourer and earns RM50 a day and has to support his unemployed wife and a 10-month-old child.
“The accused has lived in this country for 15 years and in relation to the UNHCR card, the card is in the process of being renewed,” said the lawyer.
Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin did not grant bail to the accused as there was no valid UNHCR card for the court to consider and set July 14 for the case to be mentioned again.
— BERNAMA
