GEORGE TOWN – Jelutong MP RSN Rayer has called on the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to file fresh charges and pursue heavier penalties against a man accused of assaulting a couple with a hammer in Seberang Jaya.
This comes after the suspect was charged with a lesser offence that may only warrant a fine if it is his first offence. The incident left the victim, 48-year-old housewife Rina Minda Sari of Lorong Tenggiri 19, requiring eight stitches to her head, along with bruises on her arms.
Rayer, a senior criminal lawyer, expressed concern that the suspect had only been charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code for “voluntarily causing hurt”—a provision he said was too lenient given the gravity of the injuries inflicted.
He added that both Rina and her husband, 65-year-old Ahmad Hussain Hassan, informed police that their home had been ransacked, with visible damage to their property. The suspect had claimed trial last September at the Bukit Mertajam Magistrates’ Court and is currently out on bail.
“I am demanding an explanation from the AGC as the suspect should have been charged under Section 394 (of the Penal Code) for intentionally causing hurt while committing a robbery, or Section 397 (of the Penal Code) for committing armed robbery, which carries stiffer penalties,” he told reporters at a press conference held at the Penang DAP headquarters in Jalan Rangoon.
“He should have been mandatorily served with imprisonment up to 14 years if charged under Section 392 for robbery, together with whipping and fine.
“(Additionally), under Section 394, if you intentionally cause injury while committing robbery, the accused could face an imprisonment for maximum 20 years, together with fine and whipping.”
Rayer said the couple’s lawyer, who is holding a watching brief, has already submitted a formal request to the AGC seeking more appropriate charges under Sections 394 and 397 of the Penal Code for armed robbery and causing grievous hurt.
He stressed that the case should not be taken lightly, particularly as Rina had to be stitched on the head and was left traumatised by the incident. The charges, he said, should reflect the seriousness of the offence.
Rayer expressed hope that the AGC would review the matter and initiate fresh charges, adding that it was vital for the public to see justice being served and that violent acts were not taken lightly. – April 7, 2025