FRU personnel claim trial over possession of mousedeer meat

SEREMBAN: Eight Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to a charge of possessing mousedeer meat. Mousedeer is a protected species.

Rusli Che Omar, 42, Jafri Md Taib, 49, Mohamed Khalid Ibrahim, 50, Azaruddin Yahaya, 40, Mohd Izammudin Zainol, 38, Mohd Yusof Mohamed Yunos, 39, Mahadir Osman, 41, and Jasius Joseph, 36, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them before judge Mazni Nawi.

The accused were jointly charged with having eight parts of mousedeer (scientifically known as tragulus javanicus) meat without a valid licence. The meat was kept in a chiller box found in a four-wheel drive vehicle.

The animal is a protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

They were accused of committing the offence around 1pm on Jan 17, 2021, along a road at Kampung Talang in Kuala Pilah.

The eight were charged under Section 60(1)(b) of the Act read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code which carries a fine of up to RM50,000 or a jail term of up to two years or both, upon conviction.

Wildlife and National Parks Department prosecuting officer Amanina Mohamad Anuar offered each accused a bail of RM20,000 pending mention.

Lawyer Hanif Hassan who represented Jafri then asked for a bail of RM2,000 as his client could not afford to raise RM20,000.

The other seven also asked for a lower bail, saying that they had families to provide for.

Mazni set bail at RM2,000 for each of the accused and fixed June 12 for the next hearing.