IPOH, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- A man was charged in the Magistrates' Court here today with murdering a resident of a care centre in Tanjung Rambutan, near here, on Sept 3.
The court, however, recorded no plea from Soo Kim Keong, 51, who is also a resident of the care centre, after the charge was read out before Magistrate Norizan Riduan, as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
Kim Keong is accused of murdering Chong Mun Long, 28, at the Grace Home Care Centre, Jalan Chemor, Tanjung Rambutan, between 3 am and 4 am on the said day.
He is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and, if the death penalty is not imposed, shall also be punished with not less than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
The magistrate ordered him to be referred to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, Tanjung Rambutan, for psychiatric examination and fixed Oct 30 for the next case mention and submission of the psychiatric report.
Deputy public prosecutor Kirthana Subramanian appeared for the prosecution, while the accused is unrepresented.
On Sept 3, the victim was reported to have been found unconscious at the care centre, allegedly due to a misunderstanding with another resident.
He later died on Sept 17 at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun due to a lung infection and blunt-force trauma to the head.
-- BERNAMA