KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer representing Israeli Avitan Shalom, who is charged with two counts of possessing bullets and trafficking six pistols, has withdrawn from the case.
Lawyer Datuk Naran Singh informed the Sessions Court today that he would not be representing Shalom anymore, citing "personal reasons".
"I am no longer appearing on his behalf, but he will be represented by another lawyer," he said.
In today's proceeding, lawyer Jeffrey Ooi appeared for the accused.
Shalom, 38, claimed trial to the two charges framed under the Arms Act and the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 before Sessions Court judge Tasnim Abu Bakar.
On the first charge, he allegedly had in his possession ammunition amounting to 158 bullets stored in four boxes without a permit.
The offence carries imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or the maximum RM10,000 fine upon conviction.
On the second charge, he was accused of trafficking six firearms, namely a Glock 19 USA 9x10, Sig Sauer P320SP, Cougar 8000 FT, Glock 17 Gen4 Austria 9x19, N&P 9C Smith & Wesson Spring Field MA USA and Stoeger Cougar 8000F.
The offence carries an imprisonment of not less than 30 years, but not exceeding 40 years, with no fewer than six strokes of the rotan upon conviction.
He was accused of committing both offences between 6.46pm on March 26 and 6pm on March 28 in the room of a hotel in Jalan Ampang.
On March 27, he was detained at the hotel and the six handguns were seized from him.
Investigations found that Avitan entered the country on March 12 via a flight from the United Arab Emirates on a French passport.
He claimed that he came to Malaysia to kill the head of a rival criminal family.
Subsequently, police arrested a husband and wife, aged 42 and 40, at a Ramadan bazaar in Kuala Selangor on March 29, who were suspected of selling the firearms to Avitan.
The couple, Sharifah Faraha Syed Husin, 41, and her husband Abdul Azim Mohd Yasin, 43, were charged at the Klang Sessions Court in April.