'Datuk' among five men charged with being members of organised crime gang

Five men including one with the title "Datuk" were today charged in the Sessions Court with being members of an organised crime group, "Gang 24".

Two of the accused, Lim Boon Hooi, 40, and Toh Kae Luen, 26, nodded their heads to indicate that they understood the charge when it was read out to them in Mandarin and Hokkien in Sessions Court 1 before judge Norsalha Hamzah.

In Sessions Court 2, the other accused, Datuk Koh Thiam Hua, 38, Chan Yi Heng, 22 and Harry Tan Cheng Yu, 31, also nodded their heads when the charge was read out to them before judge Irwan Suaibon.

They were charged with being members of Gang 24 Penang from Jan 1, 2015 until May 6, this year.

The charge is under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, if convicted.

No plea was recorded from all the accused as they are being detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) 2012.

Toh was represented by lawyer Muhamad Asri Abdul Hamid, Koh by lawyer Mohd Zulfiqri Zakaria and Chan by lawyer S. Raveentharan, while the other two were unrepresented.

Deputy public prosecutor Lim Cheah Kit appeared for the prosecution and no bail was offered to all the accused.

Both Norsalha and Irwan set July 5 for case mention to give the prosecution time to apply for the case to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

-- BERNAMA