A 27-year-old Singaporean man pleaded not guilty at the Johor Bahru Magistrate Court earlier today for causing the death of a motorcyclist in a fatal accident on the Second Link expressway in Johor on May 9.
The incident previously went viral, showing the man, who was driving a red Maserati, allegedly making an illegal U-turn on the expressway and causing the fatal crash.
A Singaporean civil servant pleaded not guilty to causing a fatal crash in Johor by driving his Maserati recklessly
The accused, Muhammad Irshad Abdul Hameed, a civil servant in Singapore, was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.
The provision prescribes a punishment of up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to RM50,000 upon conviction. Offenders may also have their driving license suspended and barred from obtaining a driving license for 5 years upon conviction.
According to the charge sheet, as reported by Harian Metro, the accused allegedly drove his Maserati dangerously and recklessly, causing the death of the victim, 32-year-old A Vasanthraj. The incident took place at kilometre 0.6 of the Second Link expressway at around 6.40pm on May 9.
The Johor Bahru Magistrate Court set bail at RM12,000 with two local sureties
The prosecution requested that the court set bail at RM20,000 with two local sureties, along with additional conditions for the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month and surrender his passport to the court.
However, the defence pleaded for the bail to be set lower as the accused has to take care of his mother, who is suffering from cancer, as well as his younger sibling, who is still studying. The accused also requested to keep his passport as he needed it to work as a civil servant in Singapore.
The defence also argued that the accused had no previous criminal record and that there was no risk of fleeing. The accused is also ready to cooperate by reporting to a police station in Johor every month.
Magistrate Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid then set the bail at RM12,000 with two local sureties and required the accused to report to a police station in Johor every month. The case will reconvene on 10 June.
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