By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, July 9: The Magistrate’s Court here today ordered the murder case involving a Bukit Aman traffic police officer accused of fatally shooting a man in April to be transferred to the High Court for trial.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan granted the prosecution’s application to elevate the case, following a request by Deputy Public Prosecutor Adriana Maisarah Mohd Farid.
The accused, Lance Corporal Genesis Nitchell David Reddy, 30, is charged with the murder of 34-year-old Muhammad Zaki Iderus, who was allegedly shot in the head along Jalan Stephen Yong on April 26.
During today’s proceedings, the court was informed that the post-mortem report, deemed a crucial piece of evidence, had been obtained.
Genesis, who is currently held at Puncak Borneo Prison, will remain in custody pending the High Court mention date.
He was first charged on May 7 under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the mandatory death penalty upon conviction. If not sentenced to death, the section also allows for imprisonment between 30 and 40 years, along with no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane.
According to initial police reports, two men arrived at the Batu Kawa Police Station at approximately 5.30am on the day of the incident, claiming that their friend had been shot while travelling along Jalan Stephen Yong. Authorities later found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head.
Genesis is represented by lawyers Russell Lim, Brendan Ting, and Zoe Chan under the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK). — DayakDaily
