Ja’afar Halid, 38, changed his plea on five counts of attempted murder proffered against him separately by two deputy public prosecutors.

In the first instance he was charged with attempting to murder Dr Arivarni Krishnan, 33, Nurul Huda Ab Aziz, 38, and Lee Hong Boon, 32, by firing his Glock 19 pistol.

Ja’afar changed his plea before Judge Roslan Hamid. Ja’afar had pleaded guilty when he was first charged on Dec 14.

DPP Nurul Huda Idris prosecuted.

Ja’afar also faces another two charges of attempted murder against Muhamad Amirul Amin Mohamad Amer, 28, and Puah Bee Joo, 32, with the same weapon.

Ja’afar, who had pleaded guilty to these charges before Judge Irwan Suaibon on Dec 14, today changed his plea to not guilty before Roslan.

Roslan was sitting in for Irwan as he was on leave.

DPP Lim Saw Sim prosecuted.

Ja’afar was alleged to have committed all five offences between 7.15pm and 7.30pm on Dec 1 last year on the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway here.

Roslan set April 24 for mention and ordered the accused to appoint a counsel.

Later, at the Magistrate’s Court, Ja’afar appeared for case management over a charge of killing businessman Ong Teik Kwong, 32, Choi Hon Ming, 32, and Senthil Murugiah, 38, and causing hurt to Lim Boon Leng, 32, on the same date, time and place.

Magistrate Sharifah Izura Syed Mashor fixed April 24 for mention of this case.

Last December, the media reported that a man apparently went berserk and shot dead his own boss, killed two other men and injured others at the expressway leading to the Penang Bridge.