KUALA LUMPUR: Rasah division Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy head R Tangam, 50, who was charged earlier in connection with the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, yesterday pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court to an additional charge of rioting on the same day at Jalan Raja.
Senior counsel Rajesh Kumar Gejinder Nath, 45, and Keadilan Youth Exco Farhan Ibrahim @ Alias, 29, also pleaded not guilty to the same charge.
In the additional charge, the trio were jointly charged with five others still at large, with intentionally violating a Magistrate’s Court order by using force and violence during the rally.
A restraining order was issued by magistrate Zaki Asyraf Zubir on April 26 banning the public from holding a rally at Dataran Merdeka between April 28 and May 1.
They allegedly committed the offence at Jalan Raja at 3 pm on April 28 and face up to two years in prison or fine or both upon conviction under Section 147 of the Penal Code.
Last month, the three men were charged in the same court for violating the Magistrates’ Court order.
Meanwhile, Mohd Safuan Mamat@Nordin, 25, faced an additional charge of intentionally causing hurt to Al-Hijrah TV reporter Mohd Azri Mohd Salleh, 28.
Mohd Safuan allegedly committed the offence at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, at 3.50pm on April 28 and faces up to a year in prison or RM2,000 fine or both upon conviction under Section 323 of the Penal Code.
He was represented by Mohd Tajuddin Abd Razak and was earlier charged with damaging a police vehicle and injuring Constable Mohamad Kamil Paiman who was on duty.
The charges under Sections 440 and 147 of the Penal Code respectively are punishable by two to five years imprisonment or fine or both upon conviction.
Prosecutor DPP Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria applied for Tangam, Rajesh Kumar and Farhan to be tried together.
Judge Mahmud Abdullah allowed it and set July 2 for remention and Sept 4 to 7 for Mohd Safuan’s trial.
Afiq M Noor represented Tangam while Rajpal Singh and Shamsul Iskandar appeared for Rajesh Kumar and Farhan. — Bernama