KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court today ruled that a hotel's closed-circuit television recording (CCTV), which will be used as exhibits for the prosecution in the case of Israeli Avitan Shalom can't be made public.
Judge Norina Zainol Abidin said Shalom's defence lawyer, Jeffrey Ooi, can only allow their own expert to examine the footage, which will be used in the trial involving possession of bullets and firearms trafficking.
This was after Ooi told the court that the CCTV recording, which was handed to him by the prosecution today needed to be examined by their expert.
"It will be limited to the expert," he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Rullizah Abdul Majid did not object, stressing that it must not be disclosed to the public.
Earlier, she said all documents, including the CCTV recording, have been submitted to the defence.
She applied for the defence not to disclose it to any third parties or the public as it will be the prosecution's exhibit.
She had also applied for the trial dates set previously to be vacated as lead DPP Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam will be involved in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad trial.
Norina then vacated the previously set dates. She fixed Sept 30 for case management to fix new trial dates.
Rullizah was assisted by DPP Suloshani Vijendran.
Shalom,38, from Bnei-Brak, Israel claimed trial to two amended charges framed under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 and the Arms Act 1960.
In the two amended charge sheets, the prosecution had made amendments to the possession of bullets from 158 to 200; as well as the type, name and serial number of three of six firearms.
The first amended charge read that he had possessed without permit 158 bullets in four boxes and 42 bullets in three firearm magazines of Glock 17 Gen4 Austria 9X19, M&P 9C Smith & Wesson Springfield MA USA and Stoeger Cougar 800F.
The second amended charge read he had trafficked six firearms without permit namely Glock 19 USA 9x19 (Serial number: AEGS286); Sig Sauer P3205P (Serial number: 58C283463); Cougar 8000FT (Serial number T6429-10G002496); Glock 17 Gen4 Austria 9x19 (Serial number: BDZZ090); M&P 9C Smith & Wesson Springfield MA USA (Serial number: DSW9077) dan Stoeger Cougar 8000F (Serial number:T6429-08-A029304).
The offences were committed between 6.46pm on March 26 and 6pm on March 28 in a room of a hotel in Jalan Ampang.
The charge under Section 8(a) of the Arms Act carries imprisonment less than seven years; fine not more than RM10,000 or both.
The charge under Section 7(1) of Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 provides a jail term not less than 30 years but not exceeding 40 years with not less than six strokes of the rotan.
On April 12, Shalom pleaded not guilty to two charges of possessing 158 bullets and trafficking six firearms in the hotel room.
On March 27, he was detained at the hotel where he was found with six handguns.
Investigations found Shalom entered the country on March 12 via a flight from the United Arab Emirates using a French passport.
He was believed to have come 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 Shalom.