Three Myanmar boys aged 11 and 12 plead not guilty to threatening woman, 71, in Bukit Mertajam with mop, metal rod and stones

Three children from Myanmar have been charged with criminal intimidation against a 71-year-old woman in Bintang Mertajam. The trio, consisting of two 11-year-olds and a 12-year-old, appeared before a magistrate and pleaded not guilty to the charges. They were accused of threatening to cause injury to the elderly woman using various objects such as a mop, an iron rod, a fluorescent light, and stones.

This alleged incident took place in the vicinity of a house at 23, Tingkat Binjai Empat Belas, Taman Sri Rambai, in the early evening of October 22. If found guilty, the children face potential imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both. Deputy public prosecutor Zulfadzli Hassan requested bail of RM4,000 for each accused, along with surrender of their travel documents and additional conditions, including regular reporting to a police station and prohibition of contact with the victim or their family.

However, the court denied bail, citing the young ages and family circumstances of the accused. The children's lawyer argued for bail, but the court ultimately denied it, setting a date for the submission of documents and the appointment of a Myanmar interpreter to read out the charges again on November 10. The incident occurred after the elderly woman had reprimanded the group of children for making noise during playtime at a nearby playground. She was thrown stones and hit with an iron rod, although she was not injured.