Five charged with murder over nude photo

SELAYANG: The discovery of a dead body behind a house in Sungai Choh last week has ended with five people charged in court with the murder of the victim, said to be over a nude photo.

A sixth person was also charged with the disposal of the body.

G. Ganong Segaran, 34, his younger sister G. Malani, 33, S. Devi, 30, P. Saravanan, 31, and PK Vikinesvaran, 20, only nodded their heads to signal that they understood the charge after it was read out to them before Magistrate Nor Hafizah Rajuni here yesterday.

No pleas were recorded as a murder case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

According to the charge sheet, they were accused of murdering S. Ashok, 20, at a house in Jalan Sungai Buaya, Sungai Choh, Rawang, between 8am and 3.30pm on Dec 23.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the Code, which provides a death penalty or imprisonment between 30 and 40 years.

If the accused is not sentenced to death, the accused shall be sentenced to 12 strokes of the rotan, if convicted.

At the same court, Ganong Segaran and his younger brother, Dandem Bain, 30, pleaded not guilty to a charge of burying the victim’s body at the compound.

According to the charge sheet, they allegedly disposed of Ashok’s body by burying him between 3.30pm and 8m at the same place and date.

They were charged under Section 201 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.

They face imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Nor Hakimi Mohamad Rosedin did not offer bail to the accused.

However, National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Erni Ahmad, who represented Dandem, sought bail as her client worked at the private sector with a RM1,500 monthly salary and has to care for three school-going children.

The court then allowed Dandem bail of RM5,000 in one surety and ordered him not to harass prosecution witnesses in the case.

The rest of the accused persons were not allowed bail. The case is fixed for mention on March 4.

On Dec 24 last year, the police said in a statement that the body of a man was found behind a house in Sungai Choh.

It was reported that a neighbour had earlier overheard a commotion and talk about hiding a dead body.