KOTA KINABALU: A local man accused of murdering his younger sister two years ago will stand trial from July 7 to 11 this year.
High Court Judge Datuk Dr Lim Hock Leng set the trial dates during a case mention on Wednesday (Jan 22), after Arden Mattson Maturin pleaded not guilty on June 19, 2023.
The 29-year-old former state rugby player is charged with killing his sister, Audrey Maturin, 24, between 3:30pm and 4:30pm on May 4, 2023, at a house in Taman Prestij, Jalan Signal Hill.
The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years, along with a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lovely Natasha Charles is prosecuting the case, while Arden is represented by counsel Julhamri Jumhani.
Meanwhile, six soldiers from Peninsular Malaysia will learn on February 17 whether they must defend themselves against a charge of murdering their 26-year-old colleague five years ago.
High Court Judge Datuk Ismail Brahim set the date after the prosecution closed its case, having called 20 witnesses.
The accused, namely Mohamad Zaki Gusam, 31, Mohd Farhan Mohd Fudzi, 33, Mohamad Faeszudin Mohamad Jaes, 34, Mohammad Hasrul Faiz Mustaffa, 35, Mohd Borhan Zakaria, 36, and Muhammad Nazri Mohd Kahar, 29, allegedly murdered Muhammad Faiz Harun at the Mapan-Mapan Post, Kampung Mapan-Mapan in Pitas, between 1am and 2:30am on March 22, 2020.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Dana A. Wazani, assisted by DPPs Muhd Yousof Tahir Mahmood, Yuvam Bharathan, and Mohd Haikal Hazwan Md Yatim, led the prosecution.
Counsel Hamid Ismail represents Mohamad Zaki, Mohd Farhan, and Mohammad Hasrul, while Chen Wen Jye and Prem Elmer defend the remaining accused.
All six, who pleaded not guilty on July 27, 2021, remain in custody pending the case's resolution.
