AN engineer pleaded not guilty in the Butterworth magistrate’s court today to driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in two deaths in December.

Teoh Joo Leong, 47, claimed trial when the charge was read out to him before magistrate Siti Zulaikha Nordin@Ghani.

The charge sheet said Teoh was driving with an alcohol level exceeding the permitted limit, causing the death of two teachers, Muhammad Fakhrul Rodzi Fauzi, 31, and Muhammed Ahsan Mohamed Ayub, 32, at Jalan Permatang Baru near Butterworth, at about 2.30am on December 16.

He was charged under section 44(1)(b) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a jail term of between 10 and 15 years and a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurameera Shahrul Azrin asked the court to set a RM10,000 bail with one surety.

In the mitigation, lawyer Chew Anthony, representing the accused, pleaded for minimum bail, saying his client was a widower who was caring for three schoolchildren and elderly parents.

Siti Zulaikha set bail at RM8,000 with one surety and fixed March 7 for submission of documents. – Bernama, January 17, 2024.