Johor housewife charged with murdering 16-month-old step-granddaughter in Kota Tinggi

A 39-year-old housewife from Johor was charged in a Magistrate's Court today with the murder of her 16-month-old step-granddaughter last month. The accused, Nurul Farhana Laily Shah, acknowledged understanding the charge before Magistrate Hafizah Abdul Rajak but did not record a plea as the case falls under the High Court's jurisdiction.

Nurul Farhana is accused of killing Nur Anggun Dahlia Abdullah between 12:30 pm on July 30 and 9:30 am on July 31 at a house on Jalan SS 6/13 in Taman Sri Saujana. The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, could result in the death penalty or imprisonment for 30 to 40 years, with a minimum of 12 cane strokes if the death penalty is not imposed.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Afiqah Musa, while the accused was represented by Lydiana Mansor and Farah Yasmin. Bail was not granted due to the non-bailable nature of the offence. The court set Dec 11 for the mention and submission of chemical, autopsy, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) reports. Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad revealed that three individuals, including the victim's step-grandmother, were detained to aid the murder investigation following an incident at their home in Taman Sri Saujana.

The step-grandmother had initially reported the baby's death to the police on July 31, citing abdominal and chest trauma caused by blunt force, alongside other wounds and bruises on her body.