Kota Kinabalu: Fourteen individuals including a Datuk, who were charged with being members of the organised crime group “Geng Upik”, will go on trial on March 17, this year.
High Court Judge Datuk Dr Lim Hock Leng on Monday ruled that the trial will proceed on the dates previously scheduled, with the first batch taking place from 17th to 20th March.
Earlier, Lim dismissed the applications to strike out the charges brought against three of the accused – Datuk Maslan Sani, Fazrul Bahar, and Nelson Yen Yee Chung – ruling that the charges are valid and not defective.
The applications were among the issues raised by the defence.
Maslan 41, Fazrul, 42, and Yen 46, are among 14 individuals charged with being members of the “Geng Upik” organised crime group between 2015 and 2023.
The other accused are Norsyafilah Pawawoi, 27; Shahlan Shah Abdul Samad, 37; Mahathir Jibarail, 49; Zulkahar Dusing, 38; Alkan Abraham, 35; Mohd Faridzul Asmahadi, 31; Mohd Fikrie Asme, 28; Rahman Burijin, 44; Jaisalfian Jaineh @ Zaini, 45; Mohd Fauzie Rablin, 33; and Mazlan Mahmud, 41.
On March 22, 2024, the 14 claimed trial to the charge under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code carries a jail term of between five years and 20 years on conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Nazran Mohd Sham and Lina Hanini Ismail appeared for the prosecution.
Maslan and Fazrul were represented by counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Chin Teck Ming, while Yen is represented by Datuk Ram Singh.
Mohd Fauzie and Mazlan are represented by Sylyester Kuan; Mohd Fikrie by Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin; Norsyafilah by Michelle Usman; Rahman by Jakariya Ab Jalil; and Jaisalfian by Muhamad Amirul Amin.
Norsyafilah was represented by counsel Michelle Usman; Shahlan by counsel Shahlan Jufri, Mohd Luqman Syazwan and Luke Ressa Balang; Mahathir, Zulkahar and Faridzul by counsel Shahlan Jufri and Mohd Luqman Syazwan; Alkan by Shahlan Jufri.
Jaisalfian and Rahman were represented by counsel Muhamad Amirul Amin, Fauzie and Mazlan were represented by counsel Sylyester Kuan, while Fikrie by counsel Mohd Zairi Zainal Abidin.
The 14 were ordered to be further remanded.
