Twelve fined RM3,800 each for armed rioting

KUALA LUMPUR: Twelve men, including a businessman, were fined RM3,800 each by the Selayang Magistrate's Court here today after pleading guilty to armed rioting to intimidate police officers, and damaging a Nissan Sentra car.
All the accused – K. S. Muniandy, 49; P. Navin Prakash, 18; M. Prem, 21; S. Kaamaraasi, 39; M. Rames, 33; S. T. Vasanthan, 31; M. Kishokman, 20; G. Peter Jebasegaran, 24; M. Vinos, 21; R. J. Thivakaran, 20; M. Arumugam, 32; and Ang Lian Hooi, 37, – made the plea after the charge against them was read before Magistrate Nurul Izzah Hasan Basri.
The court also ordered them to serve eight months' jail if they failed to pay the fine.
The twelve were jointly charged for illegal assembly and criminal intimidation to scare police officers who were carrying out their lawful duties, by resorting to riot using sticks, chairs and other objects, with knowledge that they could cause damage to a Nissan Sentra car.
They committed the offence at Jalan Hijau, 5/7 Tasik Puteri, Rawang at around 5pm on Oct 15.
The charge under Section 149 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail sentence of five years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Based on the facts of the case, on the day of the incident, a team of policemen were conducting a patrol when suddenly, the Nissan Sentra they were travelling in was obstructed from the front and back by an EX5 motorcycle, a van and a Hilux four-wheel drive.
The policemen were besieged by the gang by using sticks, chairs and other objects, and as a result of the attack, the vehicle was badly damaged.
The policemen then fired a warning shot to break up the group and subsequently arrested all of them without any injury. — Bernama