KUALA LUMPUR: A group of 34 men who stormed a karaoke centre in Taman Shamelin last Sunday have been fined by the magistrate's court.
Some 32 of them were fined RM3,000 in default of four months' jail after they pleaded guilty before magistrate Faezahnoor Hassan here on Friday (April 10).
The individuals, aged between 21 and 57, are Tan Chee Chin, G. Bathmanathan, M. Kogilan, Lim Puay Fei, Kevin Yong Kai Wen, Ong Zhi Jian, Looi Khai Xuan, Voison Chor, Tan Jun Ning, Hee Tuck Choy, Ching Thong Hai, Kee Jin Xuan, Lim Teong Yow, Chan Kuang Man and Ho Chee Seong.
Also in the group are Wong Chee Siong, Liang Chung Weng, G. Srikanth, A. Ganesan, Lee Ming Choong, Wong Wai Khuen, Khor Ka Lok, Ong Zheng Yuan, Yam Hao Jie, Lim Jia Cheng, Chai Chun You, Kher Kuan Heng, Ong Aik Chim, Chong Khai Jun, Hadzrin Julasrin, Lee Tuck Wah and Chin Chin Chung.
At the same time, two young offenders Alvin Yong Kai Zhe and Chong Yu Heng, both 19, were fined RM2,000 in default of three months' jail.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons participated in a riot and had on them weapons, ammunition, explosives, sticks and stones that could be used for an attack. The incident took place at an karaoke centre in Cheras at 7.30pm on April 5.
They were charged under Section 148 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum imprisonment of five years or fine, or both, upon conviction.
Earlier, DPP Nur Farhana Mohamad Poad sought for a just sentence to serve as a lesson and asked the court to consider that the incident involved many people.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mohammad Arifin Abdul Wahab, who represented all the accused, asked for a lenient sentence of only a fine on grounds that the guilty plea had saved the court's time.
"The men are seeking a second chance. This is their first offence and they apologise for the mistake," he said.
Based on the statement of facts, the police had received a report on April 5 relating to an incident where a lorry ran into the outlet's front gate. A group of men then rampantly broke things in the compound. Police investigation showed that the suspects had weapons during the attack.
It was reported that a minute-long video of the incident went viral. In the clip, a lorry is seen ramming through the main gate of the karaoke centre before the group entered the compound. The men were seen carrying objects as they made their way in.
