Heng Xavier, 23, and Lee Ho Meng, 26, claimed trial after the charges were read to them before judge Nor Azah Kasran, Berita Harian reported

They were jointly accused of setting fire to a house in Kampung Jawi, Sungai Bakap, by throwing a petrol-filled bottle to ignite the front section of the house at about 3.46am on Sept 16.

They were also jointly accused of setting fire to a building used for storage as well as a residence at the same location, at about 2.20am on Sept 15.

The charges were framed under Section 436 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, which provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Amira Ruzaini Wan Abdul Razak handled the prosecution while the accused were represented by lawyer Benjamin Tan.

During proceedings, Wan Amira proposed bail of RM12,000 for each charge. However, Tan appealed for a reduced amount, citing his clients’ financial burdens and the fact that they had been in remand for approximately 54 days.

According to Tan, Heng is married with a 14-month-old daughter and supports his wife and mother. He is also preparing for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants examination.

He said Lee meanwhile cares for his mother, who suffers from depression, and is responsible for regularly accompanying the 50-year-old woman to hospital for her appointments.

Nor Azah set bail at RM7,000 for each charge, amounting to RM14,000 per accused, with one surety.

The court also imposed an additional condition requiring the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month until the case is resolved.

The court scheduled Jan 8 next year for case mention and the submission of documents.