KUCHING: Four men were charged in the Sessions Court here today for alleged unlawful assembly and rioting with kwan tao (long sharp Chinese weapon), which left two men seriously injured during an incident at a bistro on Nov 1.
The men, aged between 18 and 29, pleaded not guilty to the two charges read before Judge Iris Awen Jon.
According to the charges, the four together with 11 others still at large, were part of an unlawful assembly that attacked two individuals, aged 32 and 19, using kwang tao, causing serious injuries.
The offence allegedly took place at a bistro along Jalan Lapangan Terbang at 11.35 pm on Nov 1.
The case is being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 149, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, and may also involve whipping or a fine upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Chuah Kai Sheng did not offer bail, saying the offence was non-bailable.
He argued that bail should be denied to prevent the accused from fleeing and highlighted their alleged involvement in an unlawful assembly.
He said the first and second accused, aged 21 and 19 respectively, have ongoing cases under Sections 325 and 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, as well as drug-related offences.
The fourth accused, aged 29, also has a pending case involving possession of scheduled sharp weapons without valid permission.
Defence counsel Ralph Lee applied for bail for the first three accused, citing their status as young offenders, and also sought bail for the fourth accused on the grounds that he is a construction worker and the sole breadwinner for two children.
However, the court ordered all four accused to be further remanded until the case ends.
The court fixed Jan 9, 2026, for the next mention for case management.
A video of the riot had gone viral on Facebook, showing a group attacking individuals inside the bistro on November 1.
