KLUANG Feb 18 — A 58-year-old unemployed man was charged in the Magistrates Court here today with driving under the influence of alcohol and causing the death of a policeman at KM6 of Jalan Kluang-Teck Wah Hing near here last week.
Accused T. Yogarajah pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Magistrate Arun Noval Dass.
According to the charge, the accused was driving his car at 10.57pm on February 12 with alcohol in his breath exceeding the set limit and causing the death of 28-year-old Lance Corporal Bradford Bernard.
Yogarajah who was driving from Kluang towards Renggam had entered the motorcycle lane and caused the accident and death of the victim.
He was charged under Section 44(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, and is punishable under the same section.
If convicted, he can be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than 10 years and not more than 15 years and a fine of not less than RM50,000 and not more than RM100,000.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Zahida Muhammad Ruzi who did not offer bail to the accused.
Arun then gave the accused the opportunity to appeal for bail, but it was not taken up by the latter due to his financial situation.
He then set March 22 as the re-mention date and the accused was allowed to appoint a lawyer or seek the services of a counsel from the National Legal Aid Foundation. Arun also ordered that the suspect’s driving license be suspended until the trial is over.
Last Friday, Bradford was killed in an accident after a car driven by a man believed to be intoxicated crashed into his motorcycle along Jalan Kluang-Teck Wah Hing.
The recently married policeman had just finished his movement control order (MCO) duties at the Simpang Renggam Prison and was on his way to the Kluang district police headquarters when the incident occurred.
Bradford, who hails from Penampang in Sabah, has been working in Kluang for four years. He died at the scene due to severe injuries.
