A 44-year-old man was brought before the Ayer Keroh Magistrate’s Court today to face a murder charge involving the death of his friend at a residence in Sungai Udang last week. The accused, Saiful Hadi Othman, is alleged to have intentionally caused the death of 25-year-old Muhamad Hanafi Yusof at a house located on Jalan Mohd Akhir, Batu 12, between 7.58 pm and 8.15 pm on 11 March.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or a minimum imprisonment of 30 years and a maximum of 40 years. If the death penalty is not imposed, the accused shall also be liable to a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane. Saiful Hadi, clad in lock-up attire, indicated that he understood the charge after it was read to him by the court interpreter before Magistrate Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman.
No plea was recorded from the accused, who is a widower, as murder cases fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court. The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Syaza Nur Sharif, while the accused appeared in court without legal representation. The court subsequently denied bail and scheduled the next mention of the case for 29 April, pending the submission of the official autopsy report.
Earlier media reports suggested that the tragic incident was triggered by a heated dispute over a mobile phone. Melaka Tengah District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Patit, previously stated that the victim was believed to have been stabbed multiple times with a sharp weapon on the porch of the house in Kampung Sungai Udang.
According to police findings, the 25-year-old victim suffered at least three stab wounds to the left side of his chest, which led to his untimely death. The investigation continues as the authorities gather further evidence and forensic details to complete the prosecution’s case ahead of the upcoming court date.
