KUALA LUMPUR — Two friends pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of gang robbery against property belonging to a female Chinese national, involving losses amounting RM2.1 million, last month.

Mohd Syaqir Mohd Ami, 30, and Nur Mohamed Mahsar Mohamed Nor, 34, were jointly charged with two other individuals who are still at large with committing gang robbery against property belonging to Chen Kexue, 31.

The assets include a branded wristwatch worth RM1.2 million, three gold bars weighing 300 grammes, RM100,000 in cash, and five mobile phones of various brands, with an estimated loss of RM2,146,000, at a villa in Bukit Damansara here, at 10.10pm on July 21.

The charge was brought under Section 395 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 20 years and whipping, if convicted.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nidzuan Abdul Latif did not offer bail because the offence is non-bailable, and also requested the court to consider the offence serious, involving high losses.

 “If the court grants bail, there is a risk of the accused fleeing because during the arrest, one of the accused tried to escape.

“However, if the court grants bail, I request that each accused be granted bail of RM60,000 along with the additional condition that they must report to the nearest police station and surrender their passports to the court,” he said.

Lawyer Hazwan Hassan, representing the two men, requested the court to grant his clients bail between RM10,000 and RM15,000 with certain additional conditions, as bail is only to ensure the accused’s attendance in court.

Mohd Syaqir works as a salesman and earns RM2,000 per month. He supports his mother, who has stage four cancer, and he just recovered from paralysis after being involved in an accident in August last year.

“Meanwhile, Nur Mohamed Mahsar, who also works as a salesman and earns RM2,000 a month, has to support his wife and two young children,” the lawyer said, adding that there was no risk of the two accused fleeing.

Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin, who set the case mention for September 30, granted bail of RM15,000 to each accused, along with additional conditions requested by the prosecution.