KUALA LUMPUR: A Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) cadet was charged at the magistrate's court here with stomping on a fellow student, leaving the victim with fractured ribs and spinal injuries.
Mohd Adil Mat Awang Ghani, 22, however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him before magistrate Noorelynna Hanim Abd Halim today (Nov 22).
"I understand and plead not guilty," he said firmly.
Mohd Adil, a third-year cadet, is accused of intentionally causing injury to Muhammad Haziq Iqbal, 19, by stepping on the victim's abdomen while wearing spiked boots.
The offence was allegedly committed at the parade ground of the UPNM military training academy at 10.45pm on Oct 21.
The charge falls under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sabri Othman asked the court to impose a RM10,000 bail with one surety against the accused.
He also requested the court to issue an order prohibiting the accused from approaching the victim in the case.
Lawyer Nurul Diyana Basher, who appeared for the accused, pleaded for minimum bail as her client was still undergoing military training.
She said strict conditions by the court may affect his training.
"He has been charged but not yet convicted. The court should avoid being punitive.
"We urge the court to exercise its discretion and set the bail amount as low as possible," she said.
The court set bail at RM5,000 and fixed Feb 10 for mention.
The case garnered widespread attention after a series of incidents at UPNM, including a recent one where a trainee sustained burn injuries after a senior pressed a hot iron to his body.
Two weeks ago, UPNM trainee Amirul Iskandar Norhanizan pleaded not guilty to a charge of pressing a heated steam iron against the chest of 20-year-old cadet officer Muhammad Salman Mohd Saiful Surash.
In 2017, UPNM was shaken by the tragic death of cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who was tortured and burned with a heated iron. Six former UPNM students were sentenced to death by hanging for his murder.