An unemployed man pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today on charges of brutally killing three cats last Sunday.

The accused, Muhammad Najwan Zulkefli, 24, allegedly drowned the animals in washing machines at a laundromat in Kepong at around 5.30 am.

He asked to be tried as soon as the charge was read before Judge Syafeera Mohd Said this morning.

Meanwhile, the prosecuting officer from the Selangor Veterinary Services Department, N. Nageswara requested for the court to send the accused to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta for observation and examination as his character was deemed unstable.

The court agreed to allow the accused to be sent to the hospital for a month-long examination.

If found guilty, the accused can be prosecuted under Subsection 29 (1) (e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 (Act 772) which provides a fine between RM20,000 and RM100,000 or imprisonment of not less than three years or both.

Earlier, the accused, who was not represented, arrived at the Selayang Court Complex accompanied by a police officer.

The court has set August 13, 2020 for re-mention of the case.

In the July 12 incident, Gombak police received a report at 9.30 am after a woman found three dead cats in three separate washing machines at the laundromat.

At 12.15 pm on the same day, the suspect was arrested and remanded for four days.