KUCHING: Five local men were charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today (Dec30) with the murder of a 22-year-old man at an apartment along Jalan Sungai Tapang more than a year ago.
However, only two of the accused – Chang Jun Khong, 32, and Low Jee Boon, 34, appeared before the court, while three others failed to attend and remain at large after warrants of arrest were issued against them.
All five men were jointly charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, for allegedly murdering Francis Chang Ze at around 4.30am on Dec 1, 2024.
If convicted, they may face the death penalty or imprisonment of up to 40 years, and if the death sentence is not imposed, caning of not less than 12 strokes.
No plea was recorded before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan as the offence of murder falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The court has scheduled Feb 16 for further mention pending post-mortem report and the writs for all the accused.
Deputy public prosecutors Chuah Kai Sheng and DPP Lutfi, who appeared for the prosecution, did not offer bail.
Previously, on Sept 26, a bodyguard was also charged in the Magistrate’s Court under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 149 over the same case, allegedly committed during an unlawful assembly at the same apartment unit.
According to the charge, the bodyguard and 11 other individuals, who were still at large at the time, were allegedly part of an unlawful assembly that led to the death of Francis, who was found fatally slashed inside one of the rooms in his apartment unit.
The bodyguard was released on Oct 31.
