JOHOR BAHRU: Two men and a woman were charged in two separate Magistrate’s Courts here today in connection with the murder of a woman in front of a temple in Skudai, near here.
Soo Siau Soon, 31, was charged with murdering Tian How Khee, 42, in front of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Batu 8 1/2 Skudai, at 12.50 am on Dec 1 last year.
He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years upon conviction. If the death penalty is not imposed, the offender shall also receive up to 12 strokes of the cane.
Magistrate Hidayatul Syuhada Shamsudin fixed March 6 for mention.
In a separate Magistrate’s Court, Heng Tang Lee, 48, and Susila Chinasamy, 45, were charged with abetting the murder of Tian at the same location, time and date.
Meanwhile, Heng pleaded not guilty to a charge of disposing of evidence, a pair of scissors, which provides imprisonment of not more than seven years and a fine upon conviction.
He also claimed trial to a charge of possessing an unlicensed pistol under Section 8(a) of the Firearms Act 1960, punishable by imprisonment of not more than seven years, a fine of not more than RM10,000 or both upon conviction.
He allegedly committed both offences in a swamp area at Taman Tampoi Utama on Jan 15.
Magistrate A Shaarmini fixed March 19 for mention.
The two cases were prosecuted by Deputy public prosecutors Siti Aishah Latif and Nik Noratini Nik Azman respectively, while all three accused were unrepresented.
