SANDAKAN: A 23-year-old man was charged at the Magistrate’s’ Court here Monday with murdering the 35-year-old son of a restaurant owner in the district last month.
However, no plea was recorded from Mohammad Zulfaizzie Hanafi Mohd Firdaus who appeared before Magistrate Nur Faezah Jafry as the case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
Mohammad Zulfaizzie was accused with two accomplices still at large of murdering one Mohammed Noufal Abdul Rasheed between 5.18am on July 21 and 11.30am on July 25 in a bush area near an oil palm plantation on Jalan Sungai Memanjang. The victim was eported missing on July 21.
The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read with Section 34 of the same Code, carries either a death penalty or imprisonment for not less than 30 years but not exceeding 40 years, and if not sentenced to death, shall also be punished with whipping of not less than 12 strokes, on conviction.
Nur Faezah set Sept 10 for mention pending the completion of the forensic report, autopsy and chemistry analysis.
The accused who was not represented was denied bail, while ASP Zamri Zakaria prosecuted.
On July 26, acting Sandakan Police Chief Supt Ramasamy Kuppan said police were hunting for three men over the discovery of a body at a palm oil plantation on Jalan Sungai Memanjang.
The wanted men were identified as Mohd Jasmin Rusman, 24; Mohamad Zulfaizzie Hanafie Mohd Firdaus; and another suspect only known as Komeng, who is in his 20s.