JOHOR BARU: Four gang members responsible for several burglaries in Johor have been charged at three separate courts here.
The suspects, G. Balakrishnan, 33; S. Prem Kumar, 38; Muhammad Ridwan Dinesh, 38 and P. Ukenthiran, 33, pleaded not guilty to charges read to them at the Magistrates and Sessions Courts.
In the first court, all four suspects were charged together under Section 457 of the Penal Code for burglary.
They were accused of committing the act in a house on Jalan Bestari, Taman Mutiara Rini at about 4am on Aug 7.
Deputy public prosecutor Adriana Azrin asked the court to set bail at RM5,000 for each accused.
Magistrate Hidayatul Syuhada Shamsudin set bail at RM3,000 each and Oct 29 for next mention.
In the second court, Balakrishnan, Muhammad Ridwan and Ukenthiran were charged with burglary on another house in Taman Bukit Indah, Iskandar Puteri on July 28 at about 2am.
The case was handled by deputy public prosecutor Nurain Syafiqeen Mohd Rozi, who asked the court to set bail at RM10,000 each.
Magistrate A. Sharmini set bail at RM8,000 for each of the accused and set Oct 14 for next mention.
Meanwhile, at the Sessions Court, Balakrishnan and Prem Kumar were charged under Section 395 of the Penal Code for gang robbery.
They were accused of committing the act at about 7.30am on Aug 6 last year at Taman Gaya, Johor Baru.
Deputy public prosecutor Sharifah Natasha Syed Ahmad asked that the court set bail at RM15,000 each.
Judge Datuk Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim set bail at RM9,000 with one surenty each.
The two suspects are also required to report to the nearest police station once a month and surrender their passports.
On Sept 2, Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said that the cops have busted a syndicate, dubbed "Gang Bala" who were responsible for at least 31 robberies and house break-ins in the state.
He said that 11 suspects, including two women, were arrested in a series of raids from Aug 12 to 26.
