The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today found the two brothers guilty of setting fire to the Metro Tabernacle Church near Taman Melawati in January.

NONE Judge SM Komathy Suppiah said the defence had failed to raise any doubts and the evidence presented by the two was inconsistent.

"The testimony by their friend that the two were involved in burning rubbish is also in doubt. It is a fabrication and afterthought."

Following mitigation, the court sentenced the two to five years jail each.

The court allowed their application for a stay of execution but raised their bail from RM10,000 to RM20,000 each.

The two, brothers Raja Muhammad Faizal Raja Ibrahim, 24 ( above ) and Raja Muhammad Idzham ( below ), 20 were jointly charged with mischief by fire under Section 436 of the Penal Code.

NONE The said incident happened on the early morning of Jan 7. The punishment for such an offence is up to 20 years jail and a fine.

They were ordered to enter their defence on July 30 while a third accused - Azuwan Shah Ahmad, 23 - was acquitted when Komathy ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

While submitting earlier today, counsel for the brothers Hanif Hashim said there was doubt over the case as the teacher claimed to have seen the arsonists did not have a clear view of the perpetrators.

"The actual perpetrators are still out there," he said. "My clients were merely arrested at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital."

'Appaling, despicable'

DPP Azlina Rasdi said the testimony by the brothers’ friend that the two were burning a stack of rubbish when they burnt themselves was merely ‘a creation’ to save the two accused.

NONE In sentencing the duo, Komathy said individuals who commit arson attacks on places of worship deserve little or no mercy from the courts.

She said offences of the kind were ‘reprehensible and egregious’.

"This court is bound to ensure that a deterrent custodial sentence is imposed on offenders who desecrate religion or religious beliefs to ensure peace and harmony in a multi-racial country like ours."

"The imposition of a lenient sentence would not send a strong and clear message that this kind of offence would not be tolerated and condoned.

Describing the act of torching the Metro Tabernacle Church as ‘appalling and despicable’, Komathy said it struck at the foundation of a civilised and peace-loving society.

NONE "One of the tenets of the Rukunegara is Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan (Belief in God) but you have set ablaze a Home of God.

"Leaders from all segments of society came forward and condemned your actions. Fortunately, the police were able to maintain law and order despite actions which were inflammatory in more ways than one," she told the brothers.

Komathy then addressed the accused’s father and said while it was painful for young persons to be incarcerated but for offences such as the present one, considerations of compassion must yield to those of public interests.

"The message from this court is clear. Do not play with fire."

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