KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — Three members of the Tongkol Gang were charged in three Magistrates’ Courts here today on four charges of tresspassing and breaking into four school grounds, last month.

Car park supervisor, Muhammad Daniel Mohd Nadzri, 20, courier, Saidina Abdul Hamid, 20, and cake seller, Muhammad Syafiq Mohd Rashid, 18, each pleaded not guilty after the charges against them were read before Magistrate MS Arunjothy, Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan and Magistrate Amira Abd Aziz.

In front of Arunjothy they faced two charges of trespassing at Taman Bukit Maluri National High School in Kepong and breaking into Taman Bukit Maluri National School in Kepong at 2.14 am, on August 16.

For the offence of trespassing, all the accused are charged according to Section 441 of the Penal Code which can be punished under Section 447 read with Section 34 of the same code, providing for a maximum prison sentence of six months or a maximum fine of RM3,000 or both, if convicted.

They are also charged under Section 457 of the Penal Code read with Section 34 and can be punished under the same act which provides for a maximum prison sentence of 14 years or a fine or both, for the charge of breaking and entering.

In front of Magistrate Illi Marisqa, they also faced a charge of breaking into the Raja Muda Musa Religious Elementary School which was used as a place to store property with the intention of committing theft at 4.30 am, on August 13. according to Section 457 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 which carries a similar punishment.

In front of Magistrate Amira, Saidina and Muhammad Syafiq were charged with breaking into and stealing cash amounting to RM750 belonging to a 31-year-old man at Siraj Abu Dzar Ghifari School at 2.14am, on August 6.

The charge was filed according to Section 457 of the Code Punishment and read together with Section 34 of the same code which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine and if the offence is theft, can be extended up to 14 years and for a second or subsequent offence, can be fined or caned.

The prosecution is handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Izzat Amir Idham, Vivi’Asnita Zaina’ Larifin and Vivien Yeap Jie Xi while all the accused were represented by lawyers from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK), Tan Wei Meng, Simret Singh and Nicholas Cheoh.

The court allowed bail for Saidina and Muhammad Syafiq to be set at RM9,300 while Muhammad Daniel was bailed at RM7,300 each with one surety and fixed Oct 28, Nov 5 and 6, for mention of the case.

Earlier, the media had reported that police managed to arrest four suspects, believed to be members of the Tongkol Gang, on suspicion of being involved in school break-ins. — Bernama