'Jealous' teen charged with killing friend

TELUK INTAN - A 17-year old teenager was hauled to the Teluk Intan magistrate's court today on a charge of murdering a friend in Rungkap, last month.

The accused who donned a grey T-shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans nodded his head as a sign he understood the charge read to him before (Sessions) judge Intan Nurul Farena Zainal Abidin.

However, no plea was recorded.

According to the charge, the teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age had killed P. Hariaran, 21, by the roadside at Jalan Pasir Kampung Payung Baroh, Selekoh in Bagan Datuk between 6pm and 8.30pm on Aug 20.

The charge framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries a death sentence or imprisonment of not less than 30 years but not more than 40 years and, if not sentenced to death, shall also be punished with whipping for not less than 12 strokes, upon conviction.

The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Cheah Shuh Yuan while the accused was represented by lawyer Charanjit Singh.

The court set Oct 5 for mention pending DNA and chemistry reports.

The teenager who is no longer in school had been remanded for seven days from the date of his arrest last Saturday.

Initial investigation found that the crime was committed as the accused was jealous of the victim who had allegedly disturbed his girlfriend.

It was previously reported that a decomposed body of a man was found in a ditch on Aug 23.

Results of a post-mortem conducted at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) in Ipoh found that there was a cut on the victim's neck and his head was wounded.