Soldier Faces Robbery Charge

KOTA BARU: A soldier facing a charge of armed robbery involving the daughter of a batik manufacturer pleaded with the Sessions Court to allow him to return to work.

Private Zulkifli Othman, 24, of the Royal Signals division at Sungai Ara Camp in Bayan Lepas, Penang, appeared calm when addressing judge Wan Fadzilahnor Wan Idris.

He said he was still working and needed to be freed on bail so that he could return to his base to settle work matters with his superiors.

Zulkifli was charged with robbing 28-year-old Azlizan Nordin while armed with a knife in Jalan Padang Tembak here between 6.30pm on June 15 and 12.45am the next day.

He is alleged to have taken two handphones, RM150, and a bracelet and necklace, each worth RM3,000.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Cheah Poh Loon urged the court to deny bail as the accused was armed and had used force to commit the offence.

He said if bail was granted, the accused should be required to report at a police station on the first day of each month.

Wan Fadzilahnor set bail at RM8,000 in one surety.

She set July 28 for mention.

(c) 2008 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.