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SEPANG: Three officers of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mission (MACC) claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to nine counts of robbery charges and abetting two others to rob three Singa­porean moneychangers of US$300,000 (RM951,000).

S. Vijayarao, 33, Wan Elfie Shafizy Ahmad, 30, and Aziz Jaafar, 48, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The trio and two other men still at large are accused of robbing Hameed Saadik Batcha, Ab­­dul Rahman Marican and Moha­med Zakkariya Mohamed Shatik of US$100,000 (RM317,000) each.

The offences were allegedly committed at a men’s toilet near a restaurant on Level 1 of the satellite building at KL International Airport at 11.25pm on Sept 15.

Those still at large are T. Srit­haran, 32, and D. Nagarajan, 34.

They were also charged with abetment under Section 395 of the Penal Code which provides for a 20-year jail term and whipping upon conviction.

The three men were also charged with abetting Sritharan, who despite not being an MACC officer, had allegedly introduced himself as one to the moneychangers.

The charge is under Section 419 of the Penal Code which provides for seven years’ jail or fine or both upon conviction.

The trio also face up to two years’ jail or fine or both upon conviction for allegedly abetting and impersonating a public servant. This charge is under Section 170 of the Penal Code.

The offences were allegedly committed at 11am on the same day and place.

They are also accused of knowingly keeping mum about the robbery plan so that Sritharan and Nagarajan would have no problem in committing the crime.

The three MACC officers have since been suspended.

Senior Federal Counsel Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud led the prosecution team.

Counsel M. Athimulan appeared for Vijayarao, T. Vijaya Sandran represented Wan Elfie, while Mohd Nazri Yahya represented Aziz.

Earlier, Awang urged the court to set RM100,000 bail for each accused, saying that the offences committed were part of a well-planned crime.

Following appeals by the counsel, Sessions Court judge Wan Norisham Wan Yaakob set bail at RM30,000 for each accused, pending mention on Dec 6.

He also ordered the three men to report to the nearest police station each month, surrender their passports and get approval from the court if they wish to travel to Sabah or Sarawak.