12-year-old claims trial to underage driving charge

A 12-YEAR-OLD boy pleaded not guilty at the Sepang magistrate’s court today to a charge of underage driving. 

The proceedings were held before magistrate Muhammad Bukhori Md Ruslan behind closed doors. 

The boy was accused of driving a car on the road on July 28. 

Defence counsel Nabilla Rosli told reporters after proceedings that the child was charged under Section 39(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 with committing the offence on July 28 at Taman Putra Impiana, Puchong. 

Section 39(5) stipulates a fine of not more than RM2,000 or a jail term of not more than six months, or both, upon conviction. 

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Sabrina Zubairi urged the court to set bail at RM1,000 with one surety, while Nabilla pleaded for bail to be fixed at RM500. 

“The boy’s father was also charged at the Sessions Court today and he was granted bail of RM8,000,” Nabilla said. 

The judge then set the bail at RM500 with one surety. 

In separate proceedings at the same court, the boy’s father (who was earlier charged with child neglect) claimed trial for allowing him to drive the car on the road. 

The prosecution offered bail of RM4,000 with one surety. 

However, Nabilla pleaded for a lower sum as her client had to pay his own bail of RM8,000 as well. 

The court granted the father bail of RM2,000 with one surety and set September 4 for mention of both cases. 

The father earlier claimed trial at the Sepang Sessions Court to a charge of neglect. 

The accused, a permanent resident in Malaysia, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read before judge Ahmad Fuad Othman. 

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ jail, a maximum RM50,000 fine, or both. – August 7, 2024.