Bar owner in the dock for threatening to shoot council officer

 

Lawyer Audrey Wee (second from left) with her client Lee Eng Chong (second from right) outside the courthouse at Light Street today.

GEORGE TOWN: An owner of a bar was today charged with trying to choke a Penang Island City Council (MBPP) enforcement officer and later threatening to shoot the man outside the bar on Chulia Street in the early hours of new year’s day.

Lee Eng Chong, 46, pleaded not guilty to criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt to MBPP staff Yogeinthiran Nagathevan, 27, on Chulia Street at 1.30am on Jan 1.

The charge of criminal intimidation carries a maximum seven-year jail term on conviction while the other charge carries one year jail term or RM2,000 fine on conviction.

Lee was alleged to have committed the offence during a movement control order checks by the city council at that time.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge. In asking for a reasonable bail, Lee’s lawyer said her client has not tampered with any evidence and had cooperated with police immediately after a report was lodged against him.

Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap allowed bail at RM3,500 for each charge with one surety each.

Deputy public prosecutor Yazid Mustaqim Roslan prosecuted, while Audrey Wee Li Ye, E Gnasegaran and Arvend Rajandran appeared for the accused. - FMT