Three friends charged over parang attacks on two men

GEORGE TOWN: Three friends were charged in two Sessions Courts here today with causing grievous hurt to two men using a parang in August.

K. Arul Kevin Raj, 20, P. Kuhan, 22, and V. Visnu, 24, each claimed trial to both charges framed under Section 326 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34.

In judge Juraidah Abbas' court, the trio pleaded not guilty to intentionally causing grievous hurt to Saw Jing Bing, 25, using a parang, in front of SJKC Kong Ming Branch Two about 2.45am on Aug 25.

Deputy public prosecutor Anuarul Hakim Abdul Muen prosecuted, while the trio were represented by lawyer K. Mahendran.

Anuarul asked the court to set bail at RM20,000 for each of the accused.

"We also ask the court to impose additional conditions that the accused refrain from disturbing the witness and prosecution witnesses, surrender their passports to the court and report to a police station once every month," he said.

Mahendran urged the court to impose lower bail.

"We are mindful that this is a non-bailable offence, but we ask the court's discretion to grant minimal bail.

"My clients have been cooperative and even surrendered themselves to police when contacted," he added.

Arul is an e-hailing driver earning RM1,000 a month and has to care for his sickly mother, while Visnu and Kuhan each earn RM1,500 a month as an electrician and lorry driver respectively.

Juraidah then set bail at RM12,000 for each of the accused with one surety and fixed Nov 6 for mention.

She also ordered all three accused to refrain from disturbing the witness and prosecution witnesses, surrender their passports to the court and report to a police station on the first of every month until the disposal of the case.

Meanwhile, in Irwan Suainbon's court, the trio pleaded not guilty to intentionally causing grievous hurt to Stanley Lim, 17, using a parang, a weapon capable of causing grievous hurt, at the same place, time and date.

Deputy public prosecutor M. Darrshini asked the court to grant bail at RM20,000 for each of the accused.

Irwan set bail at RM10,000 for each of the accused with one surety and fixed the same date for mention.

Early last month, it was reported that police arrested 23 men in connection with an armed riot involving two Gang 04 groups.

Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim said the suspects were detained in several raids across Penang and Selangor between Aug 30 and Sept 4. Eleven men were charged on Sept 9 with rioting while armed.