2 beradik antara 4 didakwa bunuh lelaki di ladang sawit

Four men, including two brothers, face murder charges in a palm oil plantation field in Kampung Sungai Division, Sungai Petani, last month. Bakri Mahidin, 37, and his brother Muhamadariff Mahidin, 26, along with Iekram Mohd Zaki, 29, and Firdaus Che Mustafa, 36, protested their guilt after the charges were read before Majistret Noor Farah Hazwani Osman.

No pleas of guilty were recorded, with two of the defendants being plantation workers while the other two served as safety guards and vehicle cleaners, as the case fell under the jurisdiction of the High Court. According to the charges, all four are accused of together killing Badaruddin Md Nayan, 30, in the palm oil plantation area of Kampung Sungai Division between 1:30 PM and 3 PM on August 23 last year.

The prosecution was based on Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for 30 to 40 years and a minimum of 12 years, respectively, if found guilty. The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Hazwani Mohd Noor, while Durratul 'Ain Mahmud Morshidi acted as amicus curiae to inform the court about the medical needs of two defendants.

Durratul 'Ain informed the court that Iekram is a physically disabled person with a right leg injury due to an accident, while Bakri has asthma. She stated that both defendants need medical attention to face the lengthy legal process ahead. Majistret Noor Farah Hazwani then informed the court that the medical needs of both defendants will be handled by the prison authorities.

The court also did not allow bail for all defendants and set November 15 as the date for the next hearing. Previously, media reported the discovery of a man's body around the age of 30, suspected of being murdered in the Kampung Sungai Division, here, on August 23 last year.