KUALA LUMPUR: Two Latin American men pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court today to a joint charge of committing house break-in at abusinessman's house and stole belongings worth RM7 million in May.
Yeyson Andres Rocha Garzon,39, and Julian David Serna Pena,22, from Columbia, said they understood the charge read out to them in English before judge Azrol Abdullah.
The charge sheet read they had jointly and with others who are at large, broke into the house of a 45-year-old man named Indraa Izwaan Mohd Yusof and stole belongings worth RM7 million.
They committed the offence at 10pm at the house in Bukit Damansara on May 31.
The offence under Section 457 of the Penal Code read with Section 34 carries a five-year jail term and a fine and if the offence intended to be committed is theft, the term of the imprisonment may be extended to 14 years; and for every second or subsequent offence shall in either case be liable to fine or whipping.
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Deputy public prosecutor Siti Nursyuhada Abd Rauf did not offer bail as both accused, who are unemployed, do not have valid travel documents and have been charged under the Immigration Act.
Defence lawyer Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid, who stood for the duo, said he had been instructed by his clients to send a representation on the charge.
Azrol did not allow bail and set Aug 5 for mention.
City police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa had said the victim returned home to find his master bedroom ransacked and 30 luxury watches, jewellery and RM20,000 cash gone.
Police received a report on the incident at 11.34pm on May 31 and five men and two women were arrested between June 6 and June 11.
Investigations showed they had, with three other suspects and another, who are at large, had broke into a house in Bukit Damansara on May 31.
The suspects were believed to have prowled around gated and guarded neighbourhoods in a Perodua Myvi looking for easy targets.
Checks revealed the suspects would disable closed circuit teleivision cameras and break grilles in order to gain entry into vacant houses.
Rusdi said three of the male suspects are Latin-American, adding that one of the women arrested was believed to be the girlfriend of one of them.
He said the other woman, aged 36, was believed to have purchased jewellery from the suspects.
Police recovered 29 watches, 97 items of jewellery worth RM4 million and RM4,550 cash.
He had said their probe revealed that another Latin American suspect who was also believed to be involved, was caught by Thailand immigration in Bangkok on June 14.
An arrest warrant has been issued by the magistrate's court to facilitate the handover of the suspect to Malaysian authorities.