Lorry Driver in Fatal FRU Crash Cleared of Stolen Cow Case but Still Faces Trial Over Nine Deaths

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2026 — Lorry driver Rudi Zulkarnain Mat Radi, who is also facing trial over a fatal crash involving Federal Reserve Unit personnel, has been acquitted and discharged by the Magistrate’s Court in Teluk Intan from a separate stolen cow-related charge.

Magistrate Naidatul Athirah Azman made the ruling after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the 46-year-old accused at the end of the prosecution’s case.

The decision means Rudi is no longer required to answer the charge of allegedly assisting in concealing or transporting two stolen cows. However, the ruling only applies to the stolen cow case and does not affect his separate ongoing trial related to the fatal FRU crash.

Rudi had pleaded not guilty on May 20, 2025, to a charge of assisting in the transportation of two stolen cows — a black KK Cross bull and a white Brahman bull — belonging to Rozali Ismail, 66, from Kampung Sungai Keli, Hutan Melintang.

The alleged offence was said to have taken place at Kampung Kebun Baru, Hutan Melintang, at about 6pm on April 14, 2025.

The charge was framed under Section 414 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of seven years, a fine, or both upon conviction.

The trial for the stolen cow-related case began on October 15, 2025, and concluded on March 17, 2026, with five prosecution witnesses called to testify.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Darwis Aghniya Halim Azizi represented the prosecution, while lawyers Mohd Hafizuddin Khan Norkhan and Nur Intan Syakieraah Zakaria represented Rudi.

Although Rudi has been cleared of the stolen cow-related charge, he still faces a separate and more serious trial involving a fatal road crash that killed nine FRU personnel in Teluk Intan.

The fatal crash occurred on May 13, 2025, along Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan, Perak. The accident involved a lorry carrying stones and an FRU truck carrying personnel who were returning to Ipoh after duty in Teluk Intan.

Malay Mail previously reported that the FRU personnel had been deployed to provide security at a festival in Teluk Intan before the crash. Nine FRU members were killed, while two others were critically injured.

Rudi had earlier claimed trial to nine counts of dangerous driving causing the deaths of the nine FRU personnel. That trial is still ongoing.

The charges in the fatal crash case were framed under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which covers dangerous or reckless driving causing death. The section carries imprisonment, a fine and driving licence disqualification upon conviction.

The nine FRU personnel named in the earlier dangerous driving charges were S. Perumal, Mohd Roslan Abd Rahim, Mohd Pozli Jaudin, Nurit Pandak, Amiruddin Zabri, Mohamad Hilmi Mohd Azlan, Muhamad Akmal Muhamad, Damarrulan Abdul Latif and Akmal Wafi Annuar.

The crash was one of the most serious road tragedies involving enforcement personnel in recent years. Bernama reported that the incident shocked the country and raised concerns about heavy vehicle safety, maintenance and road risk involving enforcement convoys.

The lorry involved in the crash was reportedly carrying stones when it collided with the FRU truck. Bernama also reported that the incident was believed to have involved a steering system failure, although the court process will determine the legal issues related to the criminal charges.

The separate stolen cow case and the fatal FRU crash case are legally different matters. The acquittal in the stolen cow-related charge does not mean Rudi has been cleared of the dangerous driving charges connected to the deaths of the FRU personnel.

This distinction is important because the stolen cow case ended after the court found no prima facie case, while the road crash case remains active and will continue to be heard in court.

For the families of the FRU personnel who died, the ongoing dangerous driving trial remains the main case being watched closely. The outcome will depend on the evidence presented in court and the court’s final decision.

The fatal crash also continues to raise wider public concern about the safety of heavy vehicles on Malaysian roads, especially when such vehicles operate near convoys, enforcement trucks or public service vehicles.

Road safety experts and authorities have often stressed that heavy vehicle maintenance, driver conduct and enforcement checks are important in preventing major accidents. This case is likely to remain a reference point in discussions about transport safety and accountability.

At the same time, the court’s decision in the stolen cow-related matter shows that each charge must be proven separately based on evidence. Even if an accused person faces multiple legal matters, each case must be judged on its own facts.

For now, Rudi has been acquitted and discharged from the stolen cow-related charge, but his legal battle is not over because the dangerous driving trial linked to the deaths of nine FRU personnel continues.

The development is suitable for Update News because it involves a current court ruling, a separate ongoing fatal accident trial and a high-profile case involving the deaths of enforcement personnel.