JOHOR BAHRU: Four men were charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with killing their colleague at a nightclub in Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir, earlier this month.

Poh Kien Huat, 28, Mohamad Ashiq Othman, 31, Wong Sew Hau, 48, and Lim Wee Huang, 32, merely nodded after the charges were read out before Magistrate Hidayatul Syuhada Shamsudin, however, no plea was recorded as the case is under the High Court jurisdiction.

The four men are alleged to have shared a common intent to cause the death of Hah Chun Fai, 24, within the confines of an office at the nightclub between 2.30am and 11.15am on Feb 4.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, and not less than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

The court set the case mention for May 23 pending the chemist, autopsy, and medical reports.

Meanwhile, at another Magistrate’s Court here, Poh and two other men, Loh Kah Chye, 29, and Lau Ngie Fong, 37, claimed trial to a charge of wrongfully confining Hah Chun Fai, in a room at another nightclub in Taman Sutera Utama, between 2 am and 2.20am, on Feb 4.

They allegedly committed the offence under Section 342 of the Penal Code which is punishable by an imprisonment of up to one year or a maximum fine of RM2,000 or both, upon conviction.

Magistrate R. Salini allowed Loh and Lau to be bailed at RM6,000 each with one surety, while Poh was denied bail because he was facing a murder charge.

The court scheduled March 21 for re-mention for the submission of documents.

Deputy public prosecutors R. Nevina and Nur Ameerah Allaudeen appeared for the prosecution, while all the accused were represented by lawyer Chuah Shyue Chien. - Bernama