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New Straits Times

[UPDATED] Lorry driver charged with dangerous driving that killed nine FRU policemen

TELUK INTAN: The driver of the lorry involved in the tragic accident that killed nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) policemen on Tuesday was charged in the Sessions Court here today with nine counts of reckless or dangerous driving causing death. Rudi Zulkarnian Mat Radi, 45, pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which were framed under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. According to the charge sheet, the accused was charged with driving a lorry in a manner that was dangerous to the public which resulted in the deaths of nine people at KM15, Jalan Sungai Manik, in the Hilir Perak district at around 9.05am on May 13. He was charged with causing the deaths of S. Perumal, 44; Mohd Roslan Abd Rahim, 46; Mohd Pozli Jaudin, 41; Nurit AK Pandak, 34; Amiruddin Zabri, 38; Mohamad Hilmi Mohd Azlan, 38; Akmal Muhamad, 35; Damarrulan Abdul Latif, 33; and Akmal Wafi Annuar, 28. For each charge, the accused faces imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than 10 years, and a fine of not less than RM20,000 and not more than RM50,000 as well as disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver's license for at least five years upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Izzuddin Fakri Hamdan while lawyer Francis Sinnapan from the National Legal Aid Foundation represented the accused. Izzuddin Fakri offered bail of RM10,000 with one surety for each charge and requested the court to set additional conditions, including for the accused's driving licence be suspended until the case is concluded in court, and that he report weekly to the nearest police station. Francis, however, pleaded for leniency on the grounds that the accused is single, lives in the Hilir Perak district, earns RM2,000 a month as a lorry driver, and suffers from asthma. He added that his client is prepared to comply with any conditions set by the court. Judge Nur Hamizah Shaffiuddin later set bail at RM6,000 for all of the charges and fixed June 17 as mention. Nur Hamizah also granted the request by the deputy public prosecutor for additional conditions to be set on the accused. It was reported that a lorry, believed to have suffered a steering malfunction, crashed head-on with a police lorry carrying 18 FRU policemen during the accident.