Four friends charged with ‘canvas murders’

MELAKA: Four friends have been charged at a Magistrate’s Court here with the murder of two men who were found wrapped in canvas sheets and left by the roadside of a secondary jungle.

No plea was recorded when the charges were read to Lok Kian Seng, 47; Daniel Ho Chin Cher, 33; Woon Chee Weng, 44; and Lim Chien Voon, 41; before Magistrate Khairunnisak Hassni yesterday.

Based on the charge sheets, the four accused together with another person still at large had allegedly caused the deaths of Stanley Chew Kok Kin, 24, and Soo Yao Long, 26.

The offence was allegedly committed at a house in Taman Paya Rumput Perdana between July 7 and 10.

Charges were framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries a death sentence or maximum prison term of 40 years and not fewer than 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.

The deputy public prosecutor was Ehsan Nasarudin.

All four accused were represented by lawyer Nahdan Rengganathan Abdullah.

The court fixed Sept 12 for next mention and for the submission of forensic and chemistry reports.

Murder cases are under the High Court’s jurisdiction.

According to earlier press reports, a lorry driver found two bodies wrapped in canvas sheets at Kampung Ujong Padang in Cheng on July 10.