Nigerians charged with rioting at Flora Damansara condominium

PETALING JAYA: A total of twenty Nigerians pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate's Court to four charges of rioting and attacking police officers at the Flora Damansara condominium last month.

The accused - Onorwu Chimuanyi Vincent, Augustine Ekene Okora, Onyeikpe Uzoma Onyekachi, Ndubuisi Osuagwu, Uchenna Stanley Ayozie, Chibuzo Kingsley Orji, Onyiyedi George Oboduagy, Eberredu Daniel Chima, Okeke Charses, Obilor Macdennis Chinemerem, Osuji Chimobi, Chinedu Aligwe, Kabuye Christian, Nwokenna Tochukwu Nwabueze, Chibuzo Goodluck, Okeke Chinedu Darling Ton, Charlse Uche Anyanwy, Ususledrock Onyedikachi, Mathew Kelechi Cletus and Anoka - arrived at the Petaling Jaya court complex at 10am Wednesday (Aug 7) in a Black Maria under tight police surveillance.

They claimed trial after the charges were read to them in English before magistrate Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir.

For the first three charges, 10 of them were charged with disturbing public order by rioting, causing injury to four police officers and using criminal force to intimidate the police officers.

For rioting, they were charged under Section 147 of the Penal Code which carries a two-year jail term, a fine or both upon conviction.

For causing hurt to the police officers on duty, the same 10 men were charged under Section 332 of the Penal Code which carries a three-year jail term, a fine or both upon conviction.

For using criminal force, they were charged under Section 353 of the Penal Code which carries a two-year jail term or fine, or both.

All the offences were committed at Block F, Flora Damansara here at 11.12pm in July. In addition, all of the 20 men were also charged under the Immigration Act. Six pleaded not guilty to overstaying in this country.

They were charged under Section 15 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and punishable under Section 15 (4) of the same Act, which carries a maximum of RM10, 000 fine or a maximum of five years' jail, or both.

At the same time, 14 of them were charged with staying in the country without any legal permit at a hotel here at 12.20am on July 29 and the charge was framed under Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, also punishable under Section 6 (3) of the same Act.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Hakim Amir Abdul Hamid prosecuted while three lawyers M. Tharuma Ratnam, Siti Rohaya Mohd Tajuddin and Dinesh Ramachandran represented the accused.

The court did not grant bail for all accused, and the case is fixed for mention on Sept 5.

In the incident on July 26, four policemen were hurt after being attacked by a group of African men during a raid at an apartment in Flora Damansara.

The raid was being conducted as part of an investigation into an online scam.