KUALA LUMPUR: The Ampang magistrate’s court today, acquitted and discharged a ‘Datuk Seri’ of his remaining two charges for assaulting People Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel in 2017.
The charges against 30 year-old businessman Datuk Seri Liow Soon Hee were dropped after defence lawyer Datuk Seri Rajpal Singh informed magistrate Mohamad Firdaus Sadina Ali that the victims - Melvin Lee Weng Poh, 28, and Leong Jun Jie, 22, - agreed to a settlement in the form of a compound payment of RM2,000 each under Section 260 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
“We wish to save the court’s precious time” said Rajpal.
No objection was raised by the deputy public prosecutor Nur Intan Syakieraah Zakaria, after which Datuk Rajpal conveyed in court his client’s remorsefulness.
The victims were then asked by the magistrate if they were forced to accept the compound, and if they understood that if the compounds were transacted the case would be concluded.
Both victims agreed to the compound and said they were not forced into accepting it.
Shortly after, Liow handed them the money while still standing in the dock.
On Oct 27, 2017, Liow was slapped with three charges of assaulting Melvin Lee Weng Poh, 28, and Leong Jun Jie, 22, in the compound of the Kou Ong Yah Temple at Jalan Merdeka in Kampung Baru, Ampang.
The charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code, provides for a maximum jail term of one year or a fine of RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.
However, last September the same court had granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to Liow on two other charges of assaulting and obstructing a Rela member from carrying out his duties.
The decision was made after deputy public prosecutor Norhashimah Hashim informed the court that one of the three victims in the case had withdrawn his police report against Liow.
Yesterday, City police chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim issued a statement saying that Liow was being sought by police for involvement in an armed attack at a nightclub along Old Klang Road on May 3.
After his acquittal today, Liow, who was swarmed by members of the media, rushed into his MPV and left.
Mazlan said yesterday that police believe jealousy over a woman was the motive behind the attack at the night club.
Investigators found that the attack at the Old Klang Road night club followed a prior fight earlier the same day at another nightclub in Cheras.
So far police have nabbed 14 suspects, all men, aged between 26 and 47.
He said police were looking for four more suspects to facilitate investigations and urged any suspects to surrender.
Mazlan said: “He (Liow) is wanted to assist in the investigation because there might be some connection to the main culprit behind the attack.
“Police is also probing the possibility of a partner to the outlet’s owner being involved in gang activities,“ he added.
On the night of May 3, a group of men armed with sticks went to the outlet, and damaged property worth RM200,000.
No one was harmed during the attack.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for damaging public property and under Section 148 of the Penal Code for committing mischief and rioting.
Although ‘Dato Seri’ Liow is being sought by KL police over a rioting case that occurred on Old Klang Road last week and had his photo released to the public via the media on Thursday, he was seen freely leaving the court compound in the presence of the police personnel stationed there.
theSun contacted KL police to seek clarification on why Liow was not held when he is being sought for investigations, and was told that there “was a miscommunication and that court police might not be aware that he (Liow) is wanted, because they (court police) are from different police departments”.
