SEREMBAN: A 44-year-old wireman has claimed trial to three charges of intentionally causing physical harm to his three stepsons with a weapon.
The accused pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him separately before Sessions judges Surita Budin and N. Kanageswari on Thursday (Aug 21).
The accused was charged with using a PVC pipe to injure the victims, aged 15, 16 and 19.
He allegedly committed the offences at around 5.30am on Friday (Aug 15) at their house in Taman Bukit Mutiara near here.
The accused was charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, read together with Section 326A.
The offence carries a jail term of up to 10 years, or a fine, or caning, upon conviction.
Section 326A provides for a prison term twice as long as the maximum term under Section 324.
Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni then told judge Surita that her team was not offering bail to the accused as he may disturb the victims who lived in the same house.
She said the teenagers had suffered soft tissue injuries as a result of the alleged beatings.
She said if the court were to allow bail, the prosecution requested RM50,000 for each charge.
The accused, in pleading for lower bail, said he had no choice but to discipline the alleged victims, as the older boys had a habit of vaping despite being told not to do so.
He also said he had been providing for the teenagers for the past three years.
Judge Surita then set bail at RM18,000 for two of the charges with one surety each and fixed Sept 24 for mention.
She also ordered the accused not to live in the same house with the alleged victims, to report to the nearest police station once a month pending disposal of the case, and to surrender his passport to the court.
Judge Kanageswari also allowed the accused bail of RM15,000 with one surety for the third charge and ordered him to stay away from the alleged victims and witnesses.
DPP Siti Khairiah Abdul Razak had proposed bail of RM20,000 after informing the court that the full medical report of the alleged assault was not ready.
The accused, who was unrepresented, also pleaded for lower bail.
He said he did not have any income at present and had special needs, being unable to bend his left leg following an accident.
Kanageswari fixed Sept 29 for remention.
The 39-year-old mother of the alleged victims was also brought before judge Kanageswari for allegedly causing hurt to her 16-year-old son with a knife at the same place and time.
She claimed trial to the charge, also under Section 324 of the Penal Code.
The court set bail of RM15,000 with one surety and ordered her to adhere to the same conditions imposed on the first accused.
