By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Nov 4: Two men pleaded not guilty in the High Court here today to a charge of murdering their friend following a drinking session that allegedly turned violent.
The accused, Tan, 30, and Alexon, 25, entered their pleas after the charge was read before Judge Faridz Gohim Abdullah.
According to the charge, the duo was accused of intentionally causing the death of a 24-year-old man at a workers’ quarters in Kampung Sungai Engkabang at about 5.30pm on June 22.
They were jointly charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, for committing the act with common intent.
If found guilty, the offence carries the death penalty, or imprisonment between 30 and 40 years, and not less than 12 strokes of the cane if not sentenced to death.
The court fixed December 10 for case management.
No bail was offered to both accused as the offence is non-bailable.
It is learnt that during the incident, the accused, the victim, and several others were drinking alcohol at the workers’ quarters to mark the weekend.
A quarrel reportedly broke out when one of the accused, accused the victim of having an affair with his wife and owing him money.
The altercation is believed to have escalated, resulting in the victim being beaten unconscious.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Azhari Yusof prosecuted, while both accused were represented by court-appointed counsels Simon Siah and Yong Suk Hui. —DayakDaily
