NIBONG TEBAL, June 11 — A 38-year-old Rohingya man was charged at the Jawi Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday with the murder of a fellow Rohingya man who was fatally stabbed in a residential area in South Seberang Perai last month.
The accused, identified as Osman Bawdi Alom, appeared before Magistrate Nurul Aina Ahmad and nodded to indicate that he understood the charge after it was read to him in Malay. However, no plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
According to the charge sheet, Osman is accused of murdering Abdul Rahman Shah Mia, 31, at Lorong Belibis 14, Taman Belibis, South Seberang Perai, on May 31.
The charge was brought under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Upon conviction, the offence carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, along with not less than 12 strokes of the cane if the death penalty is not imposed.
Apart from the murder charge, Osman also faced a separate charge for allegedly causing injury to the victim’s wife, Formin Lal Mia, 26, using a knife during the same incident.
He pleaded not guilty to the second charge, which was framed under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, a fine, caning, or any combination of those punishments upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Airina Syazreen Zainurin appeared for the prosecution, while lawyer G. Sathiash represented the accused during the court proceedings.
After hearing the matter, Magistrate Nurul Aina fixed Aug 7 for case mention pending the submission of the post-mortem report. Bail was denied for the accused.
Meanwhile, proceedings involving two Rohingya women who were also arrested in connection with the case have been postponed to June 23. The postponement was necessary to allow a Myanmar interpreter to be present when the charges are read to Humaira, 18, and Minara, 29.
The fatal incident reportedly occurred at about 3.20pm on May 31 at Taman Belibis. The victim was found with multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife sustained injuries during the attack and received medical treatment.
Following the incident, police launched an investigation and arrested a man and two women to assist in the case. Investigations are ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence and prepare the matter for further court proceedings.
The case has attracted public attention in Penang due to the seriousness of the allegations and the involvement of multiple suspects. The court process is expected to continue in the coming weeks as investigators complete their reports and prosecutors prepare the case for the High Court.
