A 19-year-old vocational college student has been charged in connection with the murder of Nurfisya Zulkifly, a 19-year-old student from Kolej Poly-Tech MARA (KPTM), in Ketereh, Kelantan.
The accused, Muhammad Hazim Muhammad, was brought before Magistrate Rais Imran Hamid, where he was read the charge through a court interpreter. He nodded in understanding but no plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The charge states that the accused is alleged to have caused the death of Nurfisya between 11.40pm on April 30 and 12.20am on May 1 at Jalan Pengkalan Piah, Ketereh.
He is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death penalty, or imprisonment of up to 40 years and not less than 12 strokes of the cane if not sentenced to death.
The prosecution is being led by Kelantan State Prosecution Director Wan Azimah Yaacob, assisted by deputy public prosecutors Muhamad Nadzir Abdullah and Ahmad Naabil Mohamed Asri, while the accused is represented by counsel Mohd Alias Ibrahim.
The court fixed July 2 for mention to obtain several expert reports.
Previously, authorities revealed that the victim was found murdered with 61 stab wounds and left by the roadside in Ketereh.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said forensic examination found multiple injuries across the victim’s body, with most wounds concentrated on the right side.
He also said the victim was identified through fingerprint verification by the National Registration Department.
Police added that the victim was wearing jewellery, including a necklace engraved with the name “Syaa”, a bracelet on the left wrist, and a ring on the middle finger of her right hand.
