Lelaki didakwa bunuh rakan penghuni pusat jagaan

A 51-year-old man, Soo Kim Keong, appeared before Ipoh High Court today on charges of murdering a fellow resident at Grace Home Care Centre in Tanjung Rambutan, near here, on September 3. However, the court did not record any confession from Soo Kim Keong, 51, who was also a resident at the same care centre after the murder charges were read before Majistrate Norizan Riduan due to the case falling under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

According to the charges, Kim Keong is accused of killing Chong Mun Long, 28, at Grace Home Care Centre on Jalan Chemor, Tanjung Rambutan between 3 and 4 am. He is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries a sentence of death or imprisonment for not less than 30 years but not exceeding 40 years and if not sentenced to death, he must also be fined not less than 12 years if sentenced to imprisonment.

The court then ordered the accused to be referred to the Happy Ulu Kinta Hospital (HBUK) in Tanjung Rambutan for psychiatric examination, and set October 30 as the date for the next hearing for submission of the accused's psychiatric report. The case is being handled by Assistant Public Prosecutor Kirthana Subramanian, while the accused was not represented by a lawyer.

On September 3, the victim was reported to be found unconscious at the care centre believed to be after an argument with another resident. The victim was subsequently pronounced dead on September 17 at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital due to pneumonia and head injuries.