KUCHING (Dec 24) – A grim tragedy unfolded in Kuching as a 23-year-old e-hailing driver, Zakwan Mokhtar, was charged in the Magistrates’ Court for the murder of 28-year-old Nur Asikin Lan. Magistrate Syarifah Fatimah Azura presided over the case, remanding Zakwan further since murder is a non-bailable offence.
The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries severe consequences, including the death penalty or a minimum sentence of 30 years in jail with caning, upon conviction. No plea was taken as the case is yet to be transferred to the High Court.
Deputy public prosecutor Jean Siow Chung Hwei requested more time for critical evidence, including DNA and post-mortem reports, to be presented in court. The next mention of the case has been set for Feb 10, 2024.
A Desperate Act for Financial Gain
The accused allegedly committed the heinous crime in a bid to finance a trip to Cambodia to watch a football match. Authorities revealed that Zakwan had sought Nur Asikin’s gold jewellery, including a bracelet and earrings, intending to pawn them for money.
On Dec 14, Nur Asikin’s decomposed body was discovered in a ditch along Jalan Setia Raja, leading to Zakwan’s arrest on the same day. Sarawak commissioner of police Datuk Mancha Ata confirmed the connection between the jewellery and the murder motive.
Additional Charge for Filing a False Report
In a separate case, Zakwan pleaded guilty to falsifying a police report at the Sentul police station in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 10. He had reportedly filed the false report to deny involvement in Nur Asikin’s disappearance after a viral social media post identified him as the last person seen with her. Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment under Section 182 of the Penal Code.
This tragic case highlights the devastating consequences of greed and desperation, leaving a family in mourning and a community in shock.
