Tow truck driver pleads not guilty to throwing chair at wife, causing broken arm

MELAKA – A tow truck driver pleaded not guilty at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court on Friday to a charge of injuring his wife by throwing a vanity table chair at her, causing the victim to suffer a broken left arm in an incident two weeks ago.

The accused, Muhammad Rizman Akmal Ahmadiah, 28, made the plea before Judge Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin.

According to the charge, the accused allegedly caused serious injury to the 27-year-old victim, as confirmed by medical officer Dr Durratul Ain Shohaimi while the victim was receiving treatment at Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar, Johor.

The act was allegedly committed on May 6 at around 6.30am at a house in Kampung Seri Mawar, Paya Redan, Tiang Dua, in the Melaka Tengah district, Melaka.

The prosecution was brought under Section 325 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of seven years and a possible fine upon conviction.

Initial police investigations found that a verbal argument took place between the complainant and her husband, who is also the suspect. The suspect reportedly became enraged after the complainant slapped his left cheek.

The incident is believed to have been triggered when the complainant checked the suspect's mobile phone and discovered that the man was watching indecent videos of women on a social media application.

The complainant then reprimanded and scolded the suspect, which sparked the argument.

Deputy public prosecutor Rif’ah ‘Izatti Abdul Mutalif proposed that the court set bail at RM15,000, along with an additional condition prohibiting the accused from harassing the victim throughout the duration of the case.

Meanwhile, in a separate proceeding at the Magistrate's Court, the accused faced another charge of using criminal force against a public servant – specifically a police officer – by scuffling with him to prevent the civil servant from carrying out his lawful duties.

The act was allegedly committed on May 8 at approximately 11.45am at the same address.

This prosecution was brought under Section 353 of the Penal Code, which carries a punishment of up to two years in prison, a fine, or both, upon conviction.

The accused also pleaded not guilty to this charge before Magistrate Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman. Deputy public prosecutor Shaza Nur Sharif proposed a bail amount of RM8,000 for this offense.

Defense counsel Fahmy Sulaiman, representing the accused, requested a lower bail amount, stating that his client – who also works part-time as an insurance agent and a food delivery rider – has to support his wife and a one-year-old child.

Furthermore, the accused supports his parents and two younger siblings who are still in school, noting that his father suffers from heart disease and high cholesterol.

The court then set bail at RM8,000 for the first case and RM3,500 for the second charge and fixed June 30 for case mention.