R Sathiyaseelan, 32, pleaded not guilty to the charges after it was read out before judge Sharifah Hascindie Syed Omar and magistrate A Karthiyayini in separate courts, Bernama reported.

For the first charge, he is accused of raping a 37-year-old woman and causing injuries to her in a parking lot at about 2am on Jan 18.

He was charged under Section 376(2)(e) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of 10 to 30 years and can include whipping, if convicted.

Sharifah Hascindie set bail at RM10,000 and ordered Sathiyaseelan not to disturb the victim or prosecution witnesses, and to report to the nearest police station every month.

In the same court, Sathiyaseelan and his friend M Balaraj, 34, pleaded not guilty to a joint charge of robbing the same victim of her handbag at the same location and time.

They were charged under Section 395 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping if convicted. Bail was set at RM7,000 for each accused.

In separate proceedings at the magistrates’ court, the pair pleaded not guilty to another charge of impersonating police officers and acting as if carrying out official duties at the same location and time.

They were charged under Section 170 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment, or a fine, or both if convicted.

Magistrate Karthiyayini set bail at RM3,000 each, with one surety.

Both courts set March 5 for case mention.

Sathiyaseelan and Balaraj were represented by lawyer Nathiya Kamalanathan, while the prosecution was led by Nor Suhaili Abu Bakar and Nadia Syuhada Rosli.