IPOH: Two men were charged at the Sessions Court here today with robbing and causing injury to five members of a family earlier this month.
The accused, Ik Kai Jun, 20, and Ling Siaw Hock, 33, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them before Judge Hilmiah Yusof.
According to the charge sheet, Ik and Ling, along with two other individuals still at large, are accused of robbing a house and injuring its occupants. They are alleged to have stolen a Huawei mobile phone, a Vivo mobile phone, two identification cards, and RM5,000 in cash.
The accused are also charged with causing injuries to Tou Siow Lung, 21; Wong Swee Chon, 53; Emilie Yip Phooi San, 29; Keng Zhen Wei, 23; and Loi Woon Ye, 34, during the robbery.
The alleged offence took place at a house on Jalan Melayu, Ayer Tawar, at 12.30am on Aug 8.
The charge, under Section 394 of the Penal Code, carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and may also include a fine or whipping if found guilty.
Deputy public prosecutor Raya Amirah Nabihan Shahrir handled the prosecution, while the accused were represented by lawyer Sandeep Singh.
During mitigation, Sandeep requested a lower bail amount, arguing that Ling, who has no fixed income and needs to support his family, should be granted a reduced bail. He also said that Ik, who is single, worked with Ling.
The court set bail at RM12,000 for Ling and RM10,000 for Ik, with one surety each. Both are required to report to the police station once a month until the case is resolved.
The court scheduled Sept 24 for the next mention date.
On Aug 13, it was reported that a syndicate involved in illegal money lending and violent home robberies targeting defaulting borrowers had been dismantled by the police.
Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris confirmed that three individuals, including a woman, were arrested in two separate raids following a report filed by a 20-year-old victim on Aug 8.