Couple charged with murdering niece, abusing nephew

IPOH - A married couple believed to have murdered their eight-year old niece and abused the girl’s brother were charged in two separate courts, here, today.

In the magistrate’s court, Zainuddin Noh and his wife Norhazleyana Azreen Abdul Hamid, both 40, were jointly charged with causing the death of the girl at a house in Desa Pengkalan Bandaraya Ipoh, here, between 10pm on May 13 and 10pm the next day.

However, no plea was recorded before magistrate Jesseca Daimis.

The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the law, carries a death penalty, upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by Perak prosecution director Azlina Rasdi while both the accused were represented by counsel Nurul Syuhada Mohd Yusof.

Meanwhile, at the Sessions Court, the duo were jointly charged with two counts of abusing the victim’s younger brother, 7, at the same place between 1.30pm and 10.30pm, on May 13.

Both of them pleaded not guilty to the charges before judge Norashima Khalid.

They face a fine of not more than RM50,000, or an imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both, if convicted under Section 31 (1) of the Child Act 2001.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Hafizah Mohammad Pauzi prosecuted in the case.

Zainuddin and Norhazleyana were not allowed bail by both courts and their case has been fixed for mention on June 30.

It was reported that a married couple were arrested following a report on the death of an eight-year old girl made by a medical officer at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, here.

The medical officer who was in duty at the Emergency and Trauma Department when the girl was brought in, found bruises on the girl’s body.

A post-mortem examination conducted on the body revealed that the girl had died as a result of ‘multiple blunt injury’.