By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, May 7: A traffic policeman was charged in the Kuching Magistrate’s Court today for his involvement in the murder of a 34-year-old man at Jalan Stephen Yong last month.
The court has also set June 10 for mention of the case pending a chemist’s reports, which are required before transferring the case to the High Court.
The accused, Genesis Nitchell David Reddy, 29, faces a charge of murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code for the alleged murder of Muhammad Zaki Iderus, 34.
If convicted, he could face the death penalty or imprisonment for up to 40 years. The law also allows for caning if the death sentence is not imposed.
Magistrate Sharifah Fatimah Azura Wan Ali granted the prosecution additional time to complete their investigations, including forensic analyses and the victim’s autopsy report.
No plea was recorded during the proceedings, as the case will be transferred to the High Court. Bail was also not considered due to the severity of the charge.
Genesis was represented by lawyer Russell Lim from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK).
The incident occurred in the early hours of April 26, when a 34-year-old man was discovered dead inside a vehicle, having suffered gunshot wounds to the head and arm. His companions brought the body to the Batu Kawa police station to seek help and to file a report on the incident.
Police moved swiftly, detaining the suspect and two other individuals believed to have been in the vehicle at the time. A pistol and ten rounds of ammunition, believed to have been used in the shooting, were also recovered during the arrests. – DayakDaily
