GEORGE TOWN: A coffee shop assistant who allegedly damaged 12 vehicles during a 20km police chase pleaded not guilty to 14 charges in two Magistrates’ Courts here.
S. Prasaanndh, 29, entered the plea before magistrates Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi and Nur Fadrina Zulkhairi.
Before Nadratun Naim, he faced five charges, including intentionally obstructing a police officer from carrying out his duties along Jalan Tanjung Bungah at 9am on April 30.
The charge, framed under Section 186 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail term of two years, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both.
He was also charged under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 with reckless driving from Jalan Persiaran Gurney to Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru, at about 9am on the same day.
He faced three charges of damaging vehicles under Section 427 of the Penal Code, which provides for one to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Before Nur Fadrina, he faced another nine charges of damaging nine other vehicles.
The high-speed chase allegedly stretched from Jalan Persiaran Gurney through Jalan Nagore, Jalan Sungai Pinang, the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, Jalan Pangkor and Jalan Burma between 9am and 10.20am on April 30.
The damage to the 12 vehicles was estimated between RM380 and RM2,000.
Deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Danial Amir Saad and Lau Shavin prosecuted, while the accused was represented by lawyer Sharmila Shanthini Mogan.
In pleading for lower bail, Sharmila said her client is married with a seven-year-old child and works as a coffee shop assistant with an unstable income.
The magistrates allowed bail, totalling RM76,000 for all 14 charges.
As he was unable to post bail, Prasaanndh was remanded pending the next mention on June 15 for submission of documents.
