Lecturer’s hubby charged with her murder
NGO volunteer Mohd Hairil faces a mandatory death sentence
nurbaiti@thestar.com.my
The husband of a lecturer, who was found dead from apparent strangulation with her own headscarf, has been charged with her murder.
NGO volunteer Mohd Hairil Izzuan A. Samad, 41, was in tears while he sat in the dock at a Magistrate’s Court here to face the charge. Hairil was accused of murdering Maizatulnisa Othman, 40, at Tasik Cyber Valley Park, Jalan Persiaran Sepang, Cyberjaya between 11am on July 29 and 1.04am the following day.
According to media reports, the lecturer with Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia was found dead in her car near a lake in PKNS Pinggiran Cyberjaya, Sepang on July 30.
Hairil was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code and faces a mandatory death sentence if convicted.
After the charge was read out, the court interpreter asked the accused three times whether he understood the charge before he finally nodded his head.
No plea was recorded.
The accused, who was unrepresented, asked the court on how to appoint a lawyer.
This prompted magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman to query whether his family had been informed about the accused being in court.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Faraheen Yahya said the family was aware but they were absent from the proceedings yesterday.
She said the investigating officer would be instructed to inform the family on Hairil’s request to obtain a lawyer.
The court fixed Sept 14 for mention.