KUALA LUMPUR: 14 people, including four Chinese nationals, were charged at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court with being members of an organised crime group called "Geng Nicky".
The group arrived at the Petaling Jaya courthouse via a police pickup truck at about 7.30am and were heavily guarded by a unit from the Special Task Force on Organised Crime (STAFOC).
The police, armed with automatic weapons and wearing their full tactical gear, ushered the 14 into the lockup room before they were taken to the Sessions Court located on the third floor of the building.
The 14 are - Lee Han Keat, Lee Kam Onn, Datuk Lee Kum Wong, Datuk Liow Wei Kin, Datuk Liow Wei Loon, Eee Eng Chee, Dr Jovian Joris Tan Chern Chian, Datuk Loo Siew Chin, Lim Kang Li, Datuk Seri Andrew Lim Kim Ming.
Wei Kin and Wei Loon are siblings to the fugitive businessman who is also the leader of the group Datuk Seri Nicky Liow Soon Hee.
Four Chinese nationals are Gu Xing Qiong, Jiang Xue, Huang Lei and his wife Wang Yu Jun.
The accused were chained together inside the dock, and said 'understood' when the charges were read to them before judge Jamaludin Mat.
However, no pleas were recorded from them.
According to the charge sheet, 13 of them were charged under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code for being a member of organised crime group named Gang Nicky near SetiaWalk between January 2017 and March 2021.
Meanwhile, Jim Meng who is an auditor was charged with abetting the organised crime group Gang Nicky at the same place and time.
The offence falls under Section 130W of the same Code which carries maximum 10 years' imprisonment.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar asked the court not to impose bail against all accused, in accordance to Section 13 of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).
The prosecution also asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest against Liow and his Chinese national wife, Nik Zhe, who have been on the run.
The court denied bail to all the accused and fixed April 22 for mention.
Counsels Salim Bashir, Datuk Suraj Singh, Datuk Rajpal Singh, Jay Moy Wei Jiun, Mohd Salehuddin Mohd Salleh, Datuk Krishnan Kesavan Nair, and M. Hafiz Zainol Abidin represented the accused.
Police had arrested 68 individuals including those with Datuk and Datuk Seri titles believed to be close associates of Liow.
The 33-year-old businessman is suspected to be involved in various offences including money laundering and is still on the run.