Eight youths, including woman dubbed ‘Bella', flip plea to not guilty in viral Johor honeypot assault case

Malay Mail

2 days ago

JOHOR BARU, June 3 — A group of eight youths, including a woman, who had previously pleaded guilty to making death threats, causing injury, and blackmailing a 22-year-old male victim last April, changed their pleas at the Magistrate's Court here today.
The 22-year-old woman, Nuredrianna Balqqisyh Anabella Norazman — popularly known as Bella — along with seven male youths, pleaded not guilty after the three charges were read out before Magistrate A. Shaarmini.
The other seven accused were identified as Muhammad Aqmal Hafifi Mustafa Kamal, 25; Ahmad Rushdi Jumadi, 23; Muhammad Nur Shafiq Abdullah, 25; Muhammad Haikal Zulkarnain, 19; Mohamad Amierul Hakim Shamsuri, 23; Mohamad Danish Hakim Kamaruddin, 20; and Syamsul Hamiziey Saiful Razali, 19.
For the first charge, all eight accused — including Nuredrianna — along with two others still at large, allegedly committed extortion by intentionally causing fear in Muhammad Faris Syahmi Mohd Ridzwan, 22, by threatening not to stop beating him unless he agreed to pay them RM3,000.
The threats had prompted the victim to hand over RM650 and the keys to a Yamaha Y16 motorcycle to accused Mohammad Amierul Hakim.
For the second charge, the seven male accused were charged with intentionally causing injury to Muhammad Faris Syahmi, along with one other person who is still at large.
However, Nuredrianna was not included in the second amended charge.
For the third charge, all the accused — including Nuredrianna and two others still at large — pleaded not guilty to jointly confining the victim against his will.
In separate proceedings before Magistrate Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid, the eight accused also changed their pleas to not guilty on a fourth charge — jointly intimidating Muhammad Faris Syahmi with threats to cause his death.
All of the offences were allegedly committed at an apartment in Plentong, Masai, between 10pm on April 18 and 4am on April 19.
For the first to third charges, all the accused were charged under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, Section 384 for extortion, and Section 342 for illegal confinement.
The fourth charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, which carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years, or a fine, or both, if convicted.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutors, Nur Fatihah Mohd Nizam and Nik Noraini Nik Azman.
The seventh accused Syamsul Hamiziey, was represented by counsel Nurul Nadia Yunos and the fifth accused Mohamad Amierul Hakim, was represented by counsel T. Haressh. The first and second accused, Muhammad Aqmal Hafifi and Ahmad Rushdi Jumadi, were represented by counsels Khairulazwad Sariman and Syahmi Nawawi.
Nuredrianna, along with Muhammad Nur Shafiq, Muhammad Haikal, Mohamad Danish Hakim, and Syamsul Hamiziey, were not represented.
All eight accused and the four cases were ordered to be tried together today.
The Deputy Public Prosecutors requested that the court set a date for the submission of documents and the appointment of lawyers for the unrepresented accused.
Magistrate Nur Fatin granted the application and set July 18 for the submission of documents and appointment of lawyers.
The court also ordered that bail for the accused continue under the previous proceeding's ruling.
On April 25, Nuredrianna and seven male youths reportedly pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court here to four charges, including making criminal threats by issuing death threats, gang assault, and wrongful confinement of a man.
It was reported that all suspects were arrested at 2.30am on April 21 while trying to flee from the Plentong Baru Masai Apartment in Pasir Gudang, near here.
Previously, several videos showing the assault of a young man were widely circulated on social media. Shared on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram, the footage also showed the victim lying motionless after being attacked by a group of men in an apartment unit.