Former wife charged with murder of e-hailing driver

TAWAU: The former wife of ehailing driver Nurman Bakaratu, whose body was discovered in an oil palm plantation here last year, was charged with his murder at the Magistrate’s Court here on Friday.

Nurima Juli, 34, was jointly charged with her stepbrother, Sadam Kiram, 30. The duo merely nodded in understanding after the charge was read out to them before Magistrate Dayang Aidaku Amira Aminuddin.

No plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court, According to the charge, they are accused of causing the death of Nurman, 61, between 7.30pm and 11.30pm on Jan 13 last year at an oil palm plantation near Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas Batu 5, here.

The charge framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same act carries the death penalty or imprisonment of up to 40 years and a minimum of 12 strokes of the rotan, upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Fakhrurazi Ahmad Salim appeared for the prosecution, while both accused were unrepresented..

The court fixed June 6 for remention.

Previously, former Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) Intelligence chief SAC Datuk Mat Zaki Md Zain and seven others were tried in the High Court for Nurman’s death.

However, they were all acquitted and discharged on Jan 25 after the prosecution decided to drop the case.

This happened after Nurima, the key prosecution witness on Jan 25, confessed to killing her exhusband with a pair of scissors in the white Myvi car they were travelling in when it stopped at an oil palm plantation on Jan 13, 2023. — Bernama