[UPDATED] Form Four classmate charged with murdering Irene Sofiya

BATU PAHAT: A Form Four student was charged at the magistrate's court here with the murder of 16-year-old Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal earlier this month.

The 16-year-old, who was also Irene Sofiya's classmate, nodded when the charge was read out by an interpreter before magistrate Mustaqim Sukarno.

No plea was recorded during the closed-door proceedings, as murder cases fall under the High Court's jurisdiction.

According to the charge, the student allegedly murdered Irene Sofiya at the hall of SMK Dato' Seth in Yong Peng between 2.30pm and 4pm on Oct 3.

The accused was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for between 30 and 40 years if the death penalty is not imposed, as well as at least 12 strokes of the cane.

Deputy public prosecutors Juanita Mohd Said and Firdaus Ruslan prosecuted, while the accused was represented by lawyers Suhaila Shafi'uddin and Mohd Azlan Shah Mohd Allias.

Earlier, the prosecution applied for a new mention date as it had yet to receive the post-mortem and forensic pathology reports from the hospital.

The court, which did not grant bail to the accused, allowed the prosecution's application and fixed Dec 22 for the next mention.

The accused arrived at the court about 7am under police escort from the Special Crime Investigation Division (D9) of the Batu Pahat district police headquarters.

After the charge was read out, the accused was escorted out by police through the back entrance.

Irene Sofiya was found lying in the school hall with blood stains on her body and bruises that appeared consistent with being beaten.

Following the incident, police conducted several seizures and recovered exhibits around Yong Peng, including a metal rod measuring about 96cm long that is believed to have been used to beat the victim.