2 army officers plead not guilty to assaulting subordinate at Kem Terendak

The two accused, both captains, are charged with committing the offence in front of the officers’ mess at Kem Terendak in Sungai Udang, Melaka. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Two army officers with the rank of captain were charged in the Melaka magistrates’ court today with assaulting a subordinate officer at Kem Terendak, Sungai Udang, in February.

Solehudin Darus, 30, and Ahmad Hazlan Haris Azman, 28, from the 1st Regiment Royal Artillery, pleaded not guilty when the charges against them were read before magistrate Sharda Shienha Suleiman, Kosmo reported.

They are accused of jointly injuring the 26-year-old junior officer in the face, back and thighs from 2.30am to 6am on Feb 22, in front of the 1st Regiment Royal Artillery officers’ mess at Kem Terendak.

They were charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, which provides for up to a year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, if convicted.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Abdullah Rodzlad proposed bail of RM10,000 for each of the accused with the additional conditions that they not disturb the victim and prosecution witnesses throughout the proceedings.

Lawyer P Shamala, representing both the accused, pleaded for bail of RM1,000 to RM2,000, saying her clients only take home salaries of RM2,600 and RM1,700, respectively, after deductions for housing loans, and need to care for their families.

The court set bail at RM3,000 each with one surety and agreed to the additional conditions proposed.

It set Dec 18 for re-mention of the case and handover of documents.