Kuala Lumpur: Israeli national Avitan Shalom was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to two charges of possessing 200 rounds of ammunition and six firearms. Judge Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh, in delivering the sentence, stated that the court accepted the accused's guilty plea and took into account the seriousness of the firearm possession offence.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the court sentenced Shalom to seven years imprisonment for the principal charge and seven years for the alternative charge, with both sentences to run concurrently from the date of his arrest on March 28, 2024. The judge ordered that Shalom's belongings, including an international passport, 14 credit cards, and four mobile phones, be handed over to the prison authorities within 14 days.
Previously, the trial was scheduled for 14 days across multiple dates in 2025. Shalom, 39, was charged with possessing numerous rounds of ammunition and six firearms, all without a valid license or permit. The offences occurred in a hotel room on Jalan Ampang between March 26 and March 28 last year.
Shalom faced charges under Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam informed the court about a representation submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers, which led to Shalom pleading guilty to the charges and accepting the maximum prison sentence.
Shalom's lawyer, Datuk Naran Singh, noted that his client, who owns a medical supply and real estate company in New York, has a family to support. The prosecution did not object to the sentences running concurrently due to the simultaneous nature of the offences but emphasized the severity of the crimes.
The case facts reveal that hotel staff discovered suspicious items linked to Shalom, leading to a police investigation. Despite initial inspections not revealing any firearms, a subsequent search of Shalom's locked suitcase uncovered six firearms and ammunition, resulting in his arrest and subsequent sentencing.