MELAKA: A 37-year-old cobbler pleaded not guilty to four charges involving grievous hurt to an elderly man, injuries to a toddler, vehicle theft and public nudity at the Sessions and Magistrate’s Courts in Ayer Keroh here.
The accused, Muhammad Firdaus Jamal entered his pleas after the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah and magistrate Nur Afiqah Radhiah Zainurin on Tuesday (Oct 6).
At the Sessions Court, Muhammad Firdaus was charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt to a 63-year-old man using a glass bottle containing brown liquid as a weapon.
He allegedly committed the offence at a house in Kampung Ayer Molek at about 7.30pm on Sept 29.
The charge, under Section 326 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine or whipping upon conviction.
At the Magistrate’s Court, he faced a charge of stealing a Toyota Alphard at a house in Taman Ayer Molek at about 8pm the same day.
The charge was framed under Section 379A of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between one and seven years and a fine upon conviction.
He was also charged with voluntarily causing hurt to a girl aged two years and eight months at the same location at about 8.20pm on the same day.
The offence, under Section 323 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both upon conviction.
For the fourth charge, the accused was accused of committing an act of gross indecency by appearing naked in public at a house in Taman Ayer Molek at about 8.20pm on the same date.
The charge was brought under Section 377D of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of two years upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Qayyum Ramlan and prosecuting officer Insp Muhammad Nadzir Abdol Rahman conducted the prosecution, while lawyer Amritpal Singh represented the accused.
Earlier, Muhammad Qayyum applied for the accused to be sent to Hospital Permai for a psychiatric assessment. The court allowed the application.
Media reports on Sept 30 quoted Melaka education, higher education and religious affairs committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman as saying the man detained over the incident, which had gone viral, was believed to be experiencing a condition linked to practices prescribed by deviant teachings.
