Law student faces 8 charges over death, arson and intimidation
The accused, Chew Hong Joe, 21, a second-year student at a private university in the Klang Valley, faced a total of eight charges.
He pleaded not guilty and claimed trial before Judge Rahimah Abd Majid and magistrate Dhilip Nair Atchuthan.
On the first charge, he is accused of causing the death of Tan Ah Gek, 72, at a house in Jalan Francis Khoo, Kampung Bukit Siput, at about 4am on July 25. The offence, under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code, carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
For the second to sixth charges, Chew allegedly committed mischief by fire using petrol on five houses belonging to victims aged 42, 46, 72, 75 and 77. The alleged offences occurred at the same location, date and time. These charges fall under Section 436 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine for each count.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Khalijah Khalid appeared for the prosecution, while Harcharanjit Singh represented the accused.
The prosecution did not offer bail, citing the seriousness of the offences, which are non-bailable under Section 388 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
In the magistrate's court, Chew faced two additional charges under Section 507 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, allegedly through notices affixed to the gates of two individuals, aged 49 and 54. The incidents are said to have occurred at a place of worship and at a residential property in Jalan Francis Khoo, Kampung Bukit Siput, and Taman Ria, at about 4am and 6.45am respectively.
Section 507 provides for a prison term of up to two years for each offence upon conviction. Magistrate Dhilip Nair Atchuthan granted bail of RM8,000 for the two charges.
Chew was arrested yesterday. Johor police chief Commissioner Ab Rahaman Arsad said he and his 19-year-old girlfriend were detained in Subang Jaya, Selangor, about a week after the incident.
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