REMANDED: Joshua (head down) being escorted by the police to the temporary cell at the court house after the case was mentioned.
KUCHING: Two men separately charged with possessing a 0.38 revolver claimed trial in the Sessions Court here yesterday.
Joshua Beti Chong, 37, of Jalan Utama Betong, and Wat Rantai, 32, of Rh Suai Niah in Miri pleaded not guilty before Judge Dayang Ellyn Narisa
Abang Ahmad.
Joshua, a labourer, was charged with having knowledge that Wat possessed the firearm while the latter possessed the gun without a serial number, which is illegal.
They allegedly committed the crime when arrested in front of a shop at Pekan Kota Sentosa at about 6.30pm on Sept 7 this year.
As applied for by police prosecution officer ASP Carl Patrick Ramesh, Judge Dayang Ellyn ordered both accused to be jointly tried for the case.
Both accused appeared calm when the charge was read to them.
The Court also ordered Wat and Joshua to be remanded in prison until disposal of the case as the offence was non-bailable.
Earlier in court, Joshua’s defence counsel lawyer Daren Ling raised an objection to his client’s remand in prison as the weapon was not found on him, and urged that he be released on bail.
The prosecutor Ramesh replied that it was dangerous to have the accused among the public and that he could escape from the country if released on bail.
He pointed out that Joshua had a previous conviction for possession of a shortgun, for which he was convicted on Aug 10 this year, and sentenced to a day’s imprisonment and fined RM2,500 in default six months in jail.
Wat had three previous offences, one the same offence and conviction as Joshua for possessing the shotgun while another for possessing a machete, and was fined RM1,000 in default six months’ imprisonment as well as a housebreaking conviction.
Joshua and Wat will be tried under Section 8 and Section 9 of the Firearms Act (Increased Penalty 1971) respectively, punishable under the same section and they face
imprisonment for a term which may extend to 14 years. with not less than six strokes upon conviction.
Their case management was fixed for Oct 22 while Nov 21, Dec 13 and 14 for the trial.
Both accused were initially arrested and remanded with another person for seven days to facilitate police investigation in the Green Heights shooting and murder case.
The third suspect, a 37-year-old taxi driver, was released unconditionally by Court Registrar Aida Montong with no charge framed against him.