Factory worker pleads not guilty to injuring national kayaker
Published on: Thursday, May 16, 2024
By: FMT
R Dhinesh was charged under Section 44 (1a) (b) of the Road Transport Act 1987, and if convicted, could face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of RM50,000. (Photo: Facebook via FMT)
PETALING JAYA: An assistant factory supervisor pleaded not guilty in the Johor Bahru magistrates’ court after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and injuring national kayaker Siti Nurul Masyitah Elias.
The incident occurred last Saturday when Masyitah, a 2023 SEA Games bronze medallist, was hit by a car when she was riding her motorcycle.
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Masyitah, who was badly injured, is still being treated in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Johor Bahru, where she went through two operations on Tuesday.
R Dhinesh, 31, was charged today with driving with 178 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, exceeding the prescribed limit of 80 milligrammes/100 millilitres, and causing the accident.
Dhinesh was charged with committing the offence at Km3.5 of the Eastern Dispersal Link at 4.19pm on May 11.
He was charged under Section 44 (1a) (b) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333).
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If convicted, he could face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of RM50,000.
He could also have his driving licence revoked and be disqualified from obtaining a driving licence for up to seven years from the date of his conviction.
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Earlier, the prosecution applied for bail of RM20,000 in one surety to be imposed on Dhinesh.
Traffic prosecution officer S Vikineswary also requested that Dhinesh’s driving licence be suspended until the case is completed and that he be ordered to report to the Skudai police station once a month.
Dhinesh, who was unrepresented, appealed for the bail amount to be reduced as he said he earns less than RM2,000 a month.
“I don’t have RM20,000 and I can’t afford to pay such a high amount because I only work in a factory. I also need to support my father after my mother’s death,” he said.
Magistrate Nur Fatin Farid set bail at RM8,000 in one surety. She also ordered that Dhinesh’s driving licence be suspended until the case is completed and for him to report to the Skudai police station once a month.
The case will be rementioned on June 24 for submission of documents and for Dhinesh to appoint a lawyer.
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