Charged amended: Ziana Zain's husband faces heavier penalty

SHAH ALAM: The husband of popular local artist Ziana Zain faces a heavier penalty for voluntarily causing hurt to their 10-year-old son after the prosecution today amended the charge against him.
At the proceeding today, magistrate Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin granted deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Megat Mahathir Megat Tharih's application to amend the charge against Armin Zaharin Ahmad Zambri to Section 324 read with 326A of the Penal Code.
The accused was initially charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 10 years imprisonment, or with fine, or with whipping, or any two of the punishments on conviction.
Section 326A provides for twice the maximum jail sentence stated in Section 324.
Armin Zaharin, 53, is accused of caning the victim at a house in Denai Alam here between 8pm and 11.30pm on Feb 24.
He was first charged at the same court last Tuesday.
The DPP proposed RM10,000 as bail but the magistrate maintained the earlier sum of RM5,000 with one surety, after counsel Muhammad Zufar Elias told the court that the accused was self-employed and only relied on commissions as his income.
"My client also has to support his aged and ailing mother; this is also the first time he has been charged with an offence," he said in mitigation.
Raja Noor Adilla fixed April 6 for remention. — Bernama