SEPANG: A couple has been charged at the Magistrate's Court here over the murder of University of Cyberjaya student Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara last month.
M. Sri Darvien and D. Thineswary, both 19, appeared before Magistrate Khairatul Animah Jelani on Thursday (July 10).
Sri Darvien was accused of murdering Maniishapriet at a condominium in Cyberjaya between 9.11pm and 11.31pm on June 23.
He is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code and faces the death sentence or imprisonment between 30 and 40 years, and liable for whipping, if convicted.
Meanwhile, his girlfriend Thineswary was accused of abetting him in the murder at 12.30pm at the same place and day.
She is charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code read together with Section 302 of the same Code.
The accused faces the death sentence or imprisonment between 30 and 40 years if convicted.
Both accused said they understood the charges.
However, no plea was recorded as the cases are under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Zaizul Farida Raja Zaharudin stated that the prosecution was not offering bail.
Lawyers M. Manoharan and Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, representing Darvien and Thineswary respectively, sought for the case to be expedited.
Manoharan asked the prosecution to transfer the case to the High Court as soon as possible while Mohamed Baharudeen mentioned that the case had become viral.
DPP Raja Zaizul, in her reply, said the prosecution required some time to obtain documents in the case.
"After we receive these documents and hand them over to the defence, only then will we seek a case transfer to the High Court," she said.
Magistrate Khairatul Animah then fixed the case for mention on Sept 11.
It was previously reported that the victim, a Bachelor of Physiotherapy student, was found dead in a student's hostel in Cyberjaya.
Maniishapriet, from Kuching, Sarawak, was discovered unconscious with visible injuries on her body by her friend at about 10am on June 24, who immediately alerted the police.
She was living with five other students who had returned home for the holidays on June 21, leaving her alone at the hostel as she was scheduled to sit for an examination.
A post-mortem revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
A heavy police presence was seen at the Sepang Magistrate's Court compound, where tight security were imposed pertaining to the case.
Sepang OCPD Asst Comm Norhizam Bahaman, his deputy and other police officers were present at the court as well.
