‘Enter defence on murder charges’

GEORGE TOWN: A security guard facing rape and murder charges has been ordered to enter his defence by the High Court here.

Judicial Commissioner Abdul Wahab Mohamed said based on circumstantial evidence, Tarmizi Yaakob, 23, was found to have caused the injuries to the victim, resulting in her death.

“There was clear intention by cutting her throat.

“Based on the medical report, traces of semen, belonging to the accused, were also found on the victim.

“Taking this into account the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the accused on both charges,” he said at the end of the prosecution’s case yesterday.

Apart from raping her, Tarmizi, from Permatang Damar Laut, is alleged to have murdered the 17-year-old schoolgirl on Oct 25, 2015, between 7.30am and 7.30pm at the Bandar Baru Perda flats in Teluk Kumbar.

The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder carries the mandatory death sentence, upon conviction. The court fixed Jan 31 for Tarmizi to enter his defence.

Meanwhile, the case of a teacher charged with murdering his wife at their flats was fixed for mention on Jan 28.

Magistrate L. Umma Devi set the date yesterday pending the chemist’s report and postmortem results.

Lim Fong Aun, 42, was charged on Nov 18 with bashing his wife T. Santhi, 39, on the head with a clothes rack.

The incident allegedly took place at 10pm at their flats in Jalan Abdullah Ariff, Ayer Itam.

Lawyer R.S.N. Rayer told the court that he would be submitting a letter of representation to the Attorney General’s Chambers regarding the charge.

The couple had been married for 10 years and did not have any children.