SEPANG: A 12-year-old and his Pakistani father claimed trial to their respective charges at a Magistrate’s Court here after the boy was nabbed for allegedly driving a car last month.
The youngster is accused of committing the offence in Taman Putra Impiana, Puchong, Selangor, at 7.30pm on July 28, and charged under Section 39(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which is punishable by a fine of up to RM2,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.
During the closed proceedings yesterday, deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Nur Sabrina Zubairi proposed bail at RM1,000 with one surety, Bernama reported.
However, the boy’s lawyer Nabilla Rosli requested a lower amount, citing that it would need to be paid by his father, who is also facing charges.
Magistrate Muhammad Bukhori Md Ruslan set bail at RM500 with one surety and fixed Sept 4 for the case to be mentioned.
Meanwhile, besides facing a charge at the Magistrate’s Court, the boy’s a 53-year-old father who is a permanent resident here, was also slapped with another charge at the Sessions Court here yesterday.
In the first court, he was charged under Section 39(5) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which provides for a fine of up to RM2,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.
He pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before magistrate Muhammad Bukhori.
The man is accused of allowing his son to drive the car at the residential area in Taman Putra Impiana.
DPP Nur Sabrina requested bail at RM4,000 but Nabilla, who also represented the man, requested a reduction due to his financial situation and his ongoing case at the Sessions Court, which involves a bail of RM8,000.
Muhammad Bukhori set bail at RM2,000 with one local surety and scheduled case mention for Sept 4.
Over at the Sessions Court, the father faces a fine of up to RM50,000, 20 years’ jail, or both, if convicted under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
He is accused of neglecting his son and failing to supervise his activities that could have resulted in physical harm, at Taman Putra Impiana, Puchong, at 7.30pm on July 28.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge read in front of judge Ahmad Fuad Othman.
DPP Nurul Farahin Sasaruddin conducted the prosecution while Nabilla also represented the accused.
Nurul Farahin sought bail of RM15,000 while Nabilla urged the court to reconsider the amount as she said the accused worked as a carpet seller earning an average of RM3,000 a month to support his wife – a housewife – and five school-going children aged six to 19.
The court set bail at RM8,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to report to the nearest police station every month.
Case mention was set for Sept 4.
Recently, a one-minute and 49-second video clip went viral, showing a woman stopping a car driven by a boy with two other children as passengers.
