SHAH ALAM: A foreign cleaner claimed trial at the Sessions Court today for animal cruelty by dragging a cat on the road while riding a motorcycle last month.
Monotosh,41, as the summoned person, made the plea after the charge was read to him in Bahasa Malaysia before judge Rasyihah Ghazali.
He is accused of committing the act with another individual who remains at large, causing harm to the cat, which was tethered, between 2pm and 2.15pm at a housing area in Section 31 on Sept 7.
The charge, under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act, is punishable under Section 29(1) and read with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
It carries a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment, a fine of not less than RM20,000 and a maximum of RM100,000, or both upon conviction
Veterinary Services Department prosecuting officer Mohd Sharif Sabran urged the court to set bail at RM20,000 with one local surety and for the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
He also asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest on the other suspect, who did not appear in court and was supposed to be jointly charged with Monotosh today.
In mitigation, defence lawyer K. Bagia Sri Devi pleaded for RM10,000 bail as the accused was supporting his family back home on a RM1,500 monthly salary.
"He does not have any family members in Malaysia to help raise money for a high bail sum.
"Moreover, with the request to surrender his passport to the court, my client will not abscond and has cooperated from the start.
"I hope this can be considered by the court for the bail sum to be reduced to an appropriate sum," she said.
The court set bail at RM13,000 with one local surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court and report to the police station monthly until case disposal.
The next mention date was set for Nov 4.