A private ambulance driver was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with the murder of a two-year-old boy who was previously believed to be a victim of child abuse.
Muhammad Iqbal Fitri Mazlan, 29, was brought before Magistrate Anis Adlina Abu Johan where the charge was read against him.
He is accused of killing Mohamad Hayder Abdul Mukmin at a house in Taman Seberang Temerloh Indah 2A at about 9am on May 11.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, and not less than 12 strokes of the cane if the death sentence is not imposed upon conviction.
No plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The court did not allow bail and fixed September 1, 2026 for mention of the case.
Prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Adriana Azrin, while the accused was unrepresented.
The case was initially classified as a child abuse case after the two-year-old victim was brought unconscious to Temerloh Hospital on May 13.
However, investigations were reclassified under Section 302 after a post-mortem revealed that the child died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Police later arrested the accused and the victim’s mother at Pengkalan Manggis Cemetery in Temerloh on May 20 to assist investigations.
Authorities said the accused, who is the boyfriend of the victim’s mother, was detained following further investigation into the child’s death.
