KOTA TINGGI: Three Reserve Officer Training Unit (Palapes) instructors were charged in the Sessions Court here with causing the death of a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia cadet officer last year.
Mejar Mohd Azmi Abu Bakar, 40, Kapt Muhammad Bahaudin Abd Rashid, 30, and Warrant Officer Mohd Norbuang Ghani, 41, pleaded not guilty before judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan.
They were jointly accused of committing an act that led to the death of Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, 22, with intent to cause injury likely to result in death.
The offence was allegedly committed on July 28 between 2pm and 3pm at the Ulu Tiram Utara Firing Range here.
The charge framed under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, provides for jail of up to 30 years and fine upon conviction.
The prosecution, led by Johor prosecution director Abdul Ghafar Abdul Latif and Nor Afiqah Musa, informed the court that the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) proposed bail of RM50,000 with one surety, if bail was to be considered.
Judge Hayda Faridzal set bail at RM25,000 before reducing it to RM20,000 with one surety after hearing mitigation. The court also ordered the accused to surrender their passports.
Mejar Mohd Azmi had pleaded for a lower bail amount, saying he had no disciplinary record during his 21-year service.
Mention was fixed for April 13 for the appointment of counsel and submission of documents.
Syamsul Haris died at Hospital Kota Tinggi after training at the Army Combat Training Centre in Ulu Tiram and was buried at the Kampung Rinching Ulu Muslim Cemetery in Semenyih, Selangor.
On Aug 26, the High Court ordered the grave to be exhumed to allow for a second post-mortem to be conducted within 14 days.
The second post-mortem was carried out at Hospital Kuala Lumpur on Aug 30.
On Dec 2, the AGC directed that the case be reclassified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for further investigation by the police after reviewing the findings.
