JOHOR BAHRU: Three friends, including a foreigner, were charged in the Sessions Court here today with possession of a firearm and an offensive weapon.
The two Malaysian men, Soh Wee Hong, 29, and Hoo Kim Wei, 26; and a Thai woman, Miss Laor Mikarat, 26, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In the court before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Ariffin Ismail, the three of them were jointly charged with possession of a firearm, namely a revolver, at a house in Jalan Alimat, Wadi Hana, here at 3.45 pm last June 14.
The charge, framed under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, provides for imprisonment for up to 14 years and whipping, upon conviction.
Meanwhile, in the court before Judge Rasidah Roslee, Soh and Hoo, who were jointly charged with Miss Laor, with possessing a 25-cm long knife without valid permission at the same place and time, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
No plea was recorded from Miss Laor pending the charge to be read out by a Thai interpreter.
The trio were jointly charged with committing the offence under the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for a 10-year prison sentence if convicted.
No bail was allowed for all of them as the offence under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 is non-bailable.
The court set Aug 1 for mention of both cases.
