KUALA LUMPUR (July 10): A police officer with the rank of corporal pleaded not guilty in the magistrate's court here on Thursday to a charge of assisting a murder suspect to escape last month.

Mohd Syhrulazlan Mohd Safri, 35, was charged with negligently and intentionally assisting Mohd Hafeez Ali, 45, who was involved in an offence under Section 302 of the Penal Code to escape arrest at a playground near a condominium in Gombak at 12.15am on June 29.

The charge read out before Magistrate Noorelynna Hanim Abd Halim is under Section 221 (a) of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail sentence of seven years or a fine, if convicted.

The court allowed the accused bail of RM7,000 with one surety with the additional condition that he must report to the nearest police station once a month and set Sept 10 for mention.

In the same court, Mohd Hafeez was charged with murdering Muhammad Umar Abdul Jalil, 38, at a premises near the same condominium at 11.45pm on June 28, under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries a death sentence or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and 12 strokes of the cane, if convicted.

No plea was recorded from the accused for the murder case as it comes under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Meanwhile, Mohd Hafeez's friend, Noor Azzly Hisham Sabtu, 47, was charged with throwing away the knife used to stab the deceased (Muhammad Umar) with the intention of protecting Mohd Hafeez from legal action and punishment at a premises near the same condominium at 11.45pm on June 28.

The charge was brought under Section 201 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment and a fine, if convicted.

Another friend, N Jayashanthan, 50, was charged with intentionally shielding Mohd Hafeez from legal action and punishment under Section 302 of the Penal Code at 11.45pm at the same location.

He was charged under Section 212 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of five years and a fine, if convicted.

The court granted bail to Noor Azzly Hisham and Jayashanthan at RM8,000 and RM8,500 respectively with the same additional conditions and set the same date (Sept 10) for mention of all the cases.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Iman Nurhidayah Ezani prosecuted.

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