TAWAU: The former wife of e-hailing driver Nurman Bakaratu, whose body was discovered in an oil palm plantation here last year, was charged with his murder, Friday.Nurima Juli, 34, was jointly charged with her stepbrother, Sadam Kiram, 30.
The pair nodded that they understood after the charge was read before Magistrate Dayang Aidaku Amira Aminuddin.
No plea was taken as muder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
SPONSORED CONTENT Sabah revenue hits RM6.97 billion: Hajiji says GRS State Government may see full term Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Government continued its momentum in managing the economy in line with the commitment and spirit of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) when it posted record high state revenue of RM6.973 billion last year. Read more The charged framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same Act carries the death penalty or imprisonment of up to 40 years and a minimum of 12 strokes of rotan, on conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Fakhrurazi Ahmad Salim prosecuted, while the accused were unrepresented.
The court fixed June 6 for mention.
According to the charge, Nurima and Sadam are accused of causing the death of Nurman, 61, between 7.30pm and 11.30pm on Jan. 13, 2023, at an oil palm plantation near Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas Batu 5.
Eight people previously accused of the killing were acquitted on Jan. 25 after the prosecution decided to drop the case when Nurima, the key prosecution witness, confessed to killing her ex-husband with a pair of scissors in his Myvi car.
Among the eight were former Eastern Sabah Security Command intelligence chief Mat Zaki Zain.
Earlier, Fakrurrazi requested the charges under Section 201 of the Penal Code against Sadam heard in the same court before, be dropped following the new charges against him.
At the proceedings, he did not offer any bail against the two accused who would be detained in Tawau prison.
On August 24 last year, Sadam, who is undocumented, was brought before the Magistrate’s Court on charges of disposing of evidence related to the murder of Nurman.
He is alleged to have disposed of the evidence which is Nurman’s scissors and wallet at the Sungai Kinabutan Besar Bridge.
Meanwhile, Nurima was charged in the same court on Jan. 30 2023 under Section 302 before being made the main witness in the prosecution of a high-profile murder case.
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