JOHOR BARU: A 25-year-old man who earlier set his wife’s car on fire during a marital spat has been charged at a Sessions Court here on Monday (Feb 10).
Auto parts store employee Chai Kaw Fung was accused of torching his 21-year-old wife’s vehicle along Jalan Tebrau here in front of a private hospital at around 10.20pm on Feb 2, causing her to suffer monetary losses.
He pleaded not guilty before Sessions Judge Thalha Bachok@Embok Mok on Monday (Feb 10) when he was charged with committing mischief by fire.
The offence, framed under Section 435 of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to 14 years and a fine upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu offered bail at RM20,000 as well as three conditions for the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month, surrender his passport and refrain from harassing the victim and witnesses.
Chai’s lawyer Goh Sze Han asked for a lower bail of RM5,000, saying that the accused has to support his two-year-old child and elderly parents on a monthly salary of RM3,000.
Goh also asked the court not to withhold the accused’s passport as his job requires him to pick up products from Singapore.
Judge Thalha allowed bail at RM8,000 and ordered Chai to surrender his passport to the court, besides imposing the other conditions as requested by the prosecution.
The court then set March 11 for next mention and submission of documents.
Earlier, a video of the incident went viral on social media where an irate man was seen blocking a woman’s car with his multi-purpose vehicle before pouring petrol on the bonnet and torching it.
Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat reportedly said the suspect and victim had a misunderstanding and that the four occupants in the car escaped unharmed.
