Facing the law: Police officers escorting a suspect to the Magistrate’s Court in Tawau.
KOTA KINABALU: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) intelligence chief is among six policemen charged with the murder of an ehailing driver in Tawau last month.
Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mat Zaki Md Zain, 58, was charged with abetting the murder of Nurman Bakaratu, 61, at an oil palm plantation near Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas, Batu 5, between 7.30pm and 11.30pm on Jan 13.
Five others – acting ASP Rosdi Rastam, 44; Sjn-Mejar Dennis Anat Enit, 44; Sjn-Mejar Fabian anak Rungam, 43; Sjn-Mejar Khairul Azman Bakar, 47; L/Kpl Mohd Azlan Sakaran, 39 – and civilian Vivian Fabian, 34, were charged with reaching a common intention to kill Nurman.
They were brought before Tawau magistrate Dzul Elmy Yunus to face the charge yesterday.
No plea was recorded from all the accused.
The court then fixed April 11 for next mention.
So far, only Khairul and Rosdi were represented.
Lawyers Chen Wen Jye, Ram Singh and Kimberly Ye represented Khairul while Kamarudin Chengki and Timothy Daut appeared for Rosdi.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad, Khairul Azreen Mamat, Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad, Rohaiza Abd Rahman and Mohammad Fakhrurrazi Ahmad Salim prosecuted.
All the accused face the death penalty if convicted.
Earlier yesterday, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah said police completed investigations on the case with the investigation papers submitted to the Attorney General’s office on Tuesday.
On Jan 28, the suspects were arrested in connection with the killing of Nurman whose body was found among the bushes on Jan 16.
On Jan 30, the victim’s ex-wife Nurima Juli, 33, who is unemployed, was charged with the murder in an oil palm plantation near Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas, Batu 5, Tawau, between 7.30pm and 9pm on Jan 13.