An Ipoh Magistrate’s Court on Thursday charged a lorry driver with the murder of a man last week.
The accused, M I Saravanan, 32, nodded in understanding as the charge was read before Magistrate Mohd Harith Mohd Mazlan. However, no plea was recorded since murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
According to the charge sheet, Saravanan is accused of intentionally causing the death of a man known as Fendi at a back alley beside a hotel along Jalan Horley, Ipoh, on August 27.
The charge was filed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty upon conviction. If the death sentence is not imposed, the accused faces imprisonment of up to 40 years and not less than 12 strokes of the cane.
Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Nishaalini requested the court to fix a mention date pending reports including the post-mortem, pathology, National Registration Department records, and CCTV forensic analysis.
Saravanan’s lawyer, S. Vinesh, requested the proceedings be expedited to ensure a fair trial.
The court then set November 4 for the next mention of the case.
Background
Earlier reports stated that a man with feminine appearance was found dead in an alley near Jalan Horley, Kampung Jawa, in the early hours of August 27.
The victim was discovered by a hotel worker around 6 a.m., lying in a pool of blood with a blonde wig nearby. The victim suffered severe head and back injuries, believed to have been caused by being run over by a white bonded lorry, which was later abandoned at the scene.
