TAIPING, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- A former tour bus driver pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate's Court here today to a charge of driving under the influence of drugs, which led to the death of a Japanese tourist last year.
Hadzarshah Abu Hassan Al Sha'ari, 42, made the plea before Magistrate Ahmad Hamdi Mustafar.
He was charged with driving a bus while under the influence of drugs ta an extent that he was unable to control the vehicle properly, causing the death of passenger.
The offence was allegedly committed at Kilometre 230.3 (S) of the North-South Expressway, in the Larut Matang and Selama district, at 1.30 pm on Oct 24, 2024.
The charge, under Section 44(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which provides imprisonment for up to 15 years, a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000, and suspended from driving fotr at least 10 years upon convictrion.
Magistrate Ahmad Hamdi allowed Hadzarshah bail of RM10,000 with two sureties, comprising a family member and the other, someone working in Perak as the accused is not residing in Perak, as well as ordered him to report to a nearby police station on the first of every month pending the disposal of the case.
The court set Dec 4 for mention.
Deputy public prosecutor Nazura Azman conducted the prosecution, while Hadzarshah was represented by lawyer Ahmad Mukmin Aimi Azmi, from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
On Oct 24 last year, 13 passengers, including tourists from Japan, were injured when a tour bus crashed into the rear of a lorry at KM 230.3 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) heading south here.
At 9 pm on the same day, a 73-year-old Japanese female tourist who was involved in the accident died during treatment at the Kuala Kangsar Hospital.
-- BERNAMA