KUALA LUMPUR: A taxi driver who was detained in connection with the murder of Arab Malaysian Banking Group (Ambank) founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi was charged at the Sessions Court here yesterday, with possession of a pistol and four live bullets.
Chew Siang Chee, 45, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Azwarnida Affandi.On the first charge, he was alleged to have possessed a PPK/S Cal.9mm Kurz/380ACP Walther pistol with a Walter magazine in the letter box of B-15-2, Desa Cindaimas Condomunium, Jalan Sekutu, off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Brickfields at 5.45pm on Aug 3.
The offence under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 carries a maximum jail sentence of 14 years and caning of not less than six strokes, upon conviction.
Chew, who was represented by counsel Vincent Tey, was also said to have owned four 9mm (short) (S&B 9mm) live bullets without a permit, at the same time and place.
The charges, according to Section 8(a) of the Firearms Act 1960, provide for a maximum jail term of seven years, or fine not more than RM10,000 or both.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the court that possession of firearm was a non-bailable offence, and sought a date for submission of documents. The court later set Aug 23 for mention of the case.
After the proceeding, Chew was seen in tears, hugging his wife and son before being taken to the Sungai Buloh Prison.
On July 29, a gunman shot dead Hussain, 75, at close range and seriously injured the banker’s wife, Chong Mei Kuen, 49, near a parking lot when the couple emerged from a temple in Lorong Ceylon here. — Bernama