SEREMBAN: Three lorry drivers pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to charges of possessing 10,431 litres of diesel without a valid licence, two days ago.
U. Kesavan, 32, P. Letchuman Rau, 31, and E. Parthiban, 33, made the plea after the charge was read before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam.
On the first count, Kesavan and Letchuman were accused of possessing scheduled controlled goods, namely 9,725 litres of diesel in a lorry.
They were alleged to have committed an offence under Regulation 3(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 in front of MHMT Holdings Sdn Bhd store, Jalan PS 2/3, Taman Pinggiran Senawang, at 3 pm on Feb 7.
On the second count, Parthiban and Letchuman were charged with possessing 706 litres of diesel in a lorry at the same location, time and date.
The charge was framed under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and punishable under Section 22 (1) of the same law, which provides a fine of up to RM1 million or imprisonment for not more than three years or both, while a subsequent offence, not exceeding RM5 million or imprisonment for a maximum of five years or both.
Deputy public prosecutor from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, Shafiq Mahadi, prosecuted while the trio were represented by lawyer Tunku Nor Farhana Asheila Tunku Amiruddin.
The court allowed Kesavan and Parthiban bail at RM9,000 and RM8,000 with one surety each, while Letchuman at RM17,000 with the additional condition that all the accused must surrender their passports to the court and report to the nearest police station every month. -Bernama