TAWAU: An Indonesian teenager pleaded not guilty in the High Court here today to a charge of murdering his teen girlfriend, also an Indonesian, at a oil palm plantation in Kalabakan last year.
The youth, 14, nodded in understanding and claimed trial after the charge was read in front of Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol who fixed the trial for Feb 10 to 14 next year.
Based on the charge, the boy, who was aged 13 at the time of the incident, is accused of murdering Nur Zahirah Safaruddin, 13, at the Murni Sdn Bhd oil palm plantation in Jalan Kalabakan between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm on Jan 4, 2023.
The boy is charged in accordance with Section 302 of the Penal Code which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for a minimum of 30 years and maximum of 40 years and a whipping sentence of not more than 12 strokes, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Suryana handled the prosecution case while the accused was represented by lawyer Liew Hon Min.
