A COMPANY director who landed a helicopter at Padang Ipoh, Perak, to collect packs of city’s famous “Nasi Ganja” pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate Court to the charge of failing to adhere to a specified flight path.
According to The Star, Datuk Mohamed Raffe K Chekku, 53, claimed trial to the charge before magistrate Jesseca Daimis yesterday.
In July last year, when the movement control order (MCO) was in effect, a Bell 505 helicopter landed at the Ipoh field to pick up 36 packets of “Nasi Ganja”, which was ordered by customers in Kuala Lumpur.
Back then, Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid was reported to have said the suspect had been granted a travel permit by the Selangor police to allow the helicopter to travel to Ipoh on a “maintenance round”.
Raffe had insisted back then that he broke no law in making the trip.
On the current charge, Raffe stands to be fined RM50,000 or up to three years’ jail, or both, if convicted. He was represented by a team of lawyers led by Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu.
The lead counsel requested bail to be fixed at RM5,000, saying that his client, married with four children, had cooperated with the police in the investigation.
Deputy public prosecutor Jean Sharmila Jesudason then requested the court to impose bail between RM5,000 and RM10,000, which the judge set at the former with one surety and set June 29 as the mention date.
Raffe promptly posted bail. – May 10, 2022
