GEORGE TOWN: Caught for violating the movement control order, 20 youths, including four minors, pleaded guilty to flouting regulations set during the pandemic.

       The 20 - Muhammad Faiz Fazlee, 18, Muhammad Afiq Ali, 19, Fazrul Hisham Faizal, 19, Nor Athirah Farizami Zali Zaidi, 19, Nur Umairah Mohd Rashidi, 19, Noorilyana Sufi Noorhisham, 19, Muhammad Aznil Mohd Azmi, 20, Muhamad Danial Hakim Jamil, 20, Muhammad Isa Ramli, 20, Mohamad Muhaiman Hassim, 20, Nurul Izzaty Anuar, 20, Mohammad Aidiel Nazeem Farihan, 22, Nur Farah Wahidah Roslee, 23, Nur Amira Mohd Nasir, 24, Mohamad Fekri Amri Mohd Poudzi, 25, Nur Farah Hanis Mohd Hazri, 25, and four minors, all aged 17 - pleaded guilty to a charge under under Regulation 17(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease (Measures Within Infected Local Areas (Movement Control) Regulations 2021 at a Sessions Court here on Wednesday (Aug 4).

       The charge carries a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, upon conviction.

       Based on the charge sheet, the 20 were charged with violating the movement control order by taking part in a private party on Aug 1, this year at around 12.30am at a house in Bukit Gambir in Gelugor here, for entertainment purposes, which is considered a prohibited activity under the movement control order.

       Sessions judge Norsalha Hamzah set bail at RM2,000 each for the four underaged boys pending the social report from the Welfare Department before the court makes a decision and set the sentencing date for Sept 7, while the rest of them were fined RM3,000 each.

       At a Magistrates court, the 20 of them, 13 men and seven women, were then charged with three separate counts of drug possession.

       They were charged before Magistrate R. Manomani with possession of 0.5g of ketamine under Section 12 (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

       They were then charged with possession of 0.6g of methamphetamine under Section 6 of the same act as well as possession of 0.56g of cannabis under Section 12(2) of the same act.

       The 20 of them pleaded not guilty to the charges and bail was set at RM500 per charge for the four underaged boys and RM2,000 (meaning RM6,000 each) per charge for the remaining 16 of them.

       Manomani set Oct 5 for case mention pending the chemist report.

       In the same court, four of them, Muhammad Isa, Mohamad Muhaiman, Nor Athirah and Nur Umairah were charged with testing positive for drugs in their system under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries not more than five years imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.

       All four pleaded not guilty to the charges and bail was set at RM1,500 for each of them.

       Manomani set Oct 5 for case mention.

       At a separate Magistrates Court, six others, Mohamad Fekri, Muhammad Afiq, Fazrul Hisham, Nurul Izzaty, Noorilyana and Nur Farah Wahidah pleaded not guilty to a charge of testing positive for drugs under Section 15(1) (a) of the same mentioned act.

       Assistant court registrar Muna Maria Azmi acting as magistrate set bail for Mohamad Fekri at RM1,500 and RM1,000 each for the rest of the five of them.

       She set Oct 5 for case mention.

       RSN Rayer, assisted by Dzvuriyah Velayit Hussein and S. Shathish, represented all 20 of them as an amicus curiae (friend of the court).