Four occupants of a Tanjung Rambutan care home were charged over the death of a fellow occupant, with one facing murder and three culpable homicide charges.
IPOH: Four occupants of a care home in Tanjung Rambutan were charged at the Magistrate’s Court here today with murdering and causing the death of a fellow occupant last week.
One of the accused, Ahmad Faiz Mohd Rauhi, 35, was charged with murdering Mohd Fauzir Hussin, 54, while three others – Zaid Shaari, 50, Radzuan Suboh, 55, and Abdul Halim Mohd Niza, 47 – were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the same victim’s death.
No pleas were recorded from the four men after the charges were read before Magistrate Norizan Riduan, as the offences fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court and are not bailable.
According to the charge, Ahmad Faiz allegedly murdered Mohd Fauzir at Pusat Jagaan Bakti in Taman Chong Kwee, Tanjung Rambutan, between 5 pm and 5.41 pm on Aug 4.
He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, as well as at least 12 strokes of whipping upon conviction.
Meanwhile, Zaid, Radzuan and Abdul Halim were jointly charged under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, read with Section 34, with committing an act that caused the victim’s death with the intention of causing death at the same place, time and date.
The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years and a fine upon conviction.
After the charge was read, Abdul Halim told the court that he had schizophrenia and had previously received treatment at Hospital Bahagia before being placed at the care home.
However, deputy public prosecutor Zarris Sofea Zainudin said the prosecution had reviewed the investigation papers and, so far, had received no official information regarding the accused’s alleged mental illness.
She sought further instructions for the investigating officer to look into the claim but maintained the prosecution’s position that bail should not be offered to any of the accused.
Magistrate Norizan subsequently ordered Abdul Halim to undergo a psychiatric assessment under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code to determine his mental condition and whether he is fit to stand trial.
The court fixed Sept 11 for mention of the case pending the post-mortem and psychiatric reports.
Earlier, Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin confirmed that the 54-year-old man died at the care home from blunt-force trauma to the head.
Initial investigations found that the victim was believed to have been beaten and stomped on by several occupants on the instructions of a caregiver after he allegedly behaved aggressively and disturbed other occupants on the night of Aug 3.
