GEORGE TOWN: A Vietnamese woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of causing the death of a teenager and injuring another while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, 40, appeared at the Magistrate’s Court wearing a hooded jacket and a mask to conceal her face.
When the charges were read to her in Mandarin before Magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi yesterday, she responded with “tidak salah” (not guilty) to both.
Nguyen is accused of driving her car under the influence of alcohol on Jalan Jelutong at 9.48pm on Feb 19 and losing control of the vehicle, resulting in the death of Thomas Ch’ng Kai Hen, 18.
She was charged under Section 44(1)(a) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years and a fine of RM50,000 to RM100,000 upon conviction.
For the second charge, she is accused of causing injury to Ooi Qi Heng, 18, at the same location, date, and time.
This charge, under Section 44(1A)(a) of the same Act, carries a jail term of seven to 10 years and a fine of RM30,000 to RM50,000.
Despite the charges being read multiple times in Mandarin, Nguyen, who is married to a local man, claimed she did not understand them.
Deputy public prosecutor M. Darrshini requested bail to be set at RM15,000 for each charge and for Nguyen to surrender her passport while having her driving licence suspended until the case concludes.
Nguyen’s lawyer, K. Mahendran, appealed for a lower bail amount, citing her financial situation.
“She is unemployed and depends on her husband, a hawker who earns around RM3,000 a month. They have three children, aged 16, 10 and one,” he said.
Mahendran said Nguyen had fully cooperated with the police throughout the investigation.
Lawyer RSN Rayer, acting as amicus curiae (friend of the court), argued that the case was of public interest.
“We request that bail not be granted. However, if the court allows bail, she should be required to report to a police station every month until the case is resolved, as she is a foreigner,” he said.
The distraught parents of Ch’ng sat in the public gallery throughout the proceedings, accompanied by his friends.
Nadratun set bail at RM10,000 for each charge with two Malaysian sureties.
She also gave Nguyen instructions to surrender her passport and suspend her driving licence.
The court set April 21 for document submissions.
