KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 30): Israeli Avitan Shalom, charged with trafficking several firearms and possession of more than 100 rounds of ammunition, will be tried over an 11-day period in January next year.
Judge Norina Zainol Abidin scheduled Jan 6-Jan 9, Jan 14-Jan 16, and Jan 20-Jan 23 for the hearing after being informed by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam that 30 witnesses have been lined up for the trial.
Lawyers Sreekant Pillai and Jeffrey Ooi appeared for Avitan.
He faces trial after the Attorney General's Chambers rejected his representation for trafficking firearms and possession of bullets.
Avitan is charged with possession of a box containing eight Shell Shock NAS3 9mm bullets, three boxes of Bullet Master Co Ltd containing a total of 150 bullets, and 42 bullets in three firearms, without a permit.
The charge was framed under Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960 (Act 206), which provides for a maximum imprisonment of seven years, or a fine not exceeding RM10,000, or both if convicted.
The Israeli was also charged with trafficking firearms, namely Glock 19 USA 9x19 (Serial Number AEGS286); Sig Sauer P3205P (Serial Number 58C283463); Cougar 8000FT (Serial Number T6429-10G002496); Austrian Glock 17 Gen4 9x19 (Serial Number: BDZZ090); M&P 9C Smith & Wesson Springfield MA USA (Serial Number: DSW9077); and Stoeger Cougar 8000F (Serial Number T6429-08-A029304).
The charge, framed under Section 7(1) of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 (Act 37), provides a minimum of 30 years of imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years, and not less than six strokes of the cane if found guilty.
Both offences were allegedly committed in a hotel room in Jalan Ampang here, between 6.46pm on March 26 and 6pm on March 28 this year.