GURUN: Fourteen individuals, including two teenagers aged 16 and 17, were charged at the Magistrate’s Court here today with the murder of a 19-year-old youth.
The accused, aged between 16 and 24, were jointly charged with murdering Muhammad Haikal Mohd Shahrilnizam at a house in Jalan Sungai Petani between 9 pm on Oct 5 and 7.30 am on Oct 8.
No pleas were recorded when the charge was read out before Magistrate Anis Suraya Ahmad, as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The charge was brought under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34. If convicted, the accused face the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, with at least 12 strokes of the cane.
Deputy public prosecutor Nik Nurhazirah Tuan Yahya led the prosecution. Three of the accused were represented by lawyer Mohamad Ashraf Ahmad Sohaimi, while the remaining 11 were unrepresented.
The court fixed Dec 23 for the next mention of the case to allow time for the chemical and forensic reports to be completed.
Previous media reports said Muhammad Haikal was allegedly held captive and tortured for two days before his body was found in bushes near Jalan Harvard Golf Club on Oct 8.
-BERNAMA
