BUTTERWORTH: A man was charged with murdering his mother and adopted sister who died in a house fire.
The charge was read out to Daniel Qayyum Kamalrolzlan, 23, before Magistrate Balqis Roslin yesterday. However, no plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
He is accused of murdering Hayani Yaakob, 51, and a six-year-old girl in Taman Teluk Air Tawar here at 9.45am on Dec 10.
The charges were framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, and not fewer than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
The Magistrate denied bail and set Jan 29 for mention pending submission of the post-mortem reports on both victims.
Prosecuting the case was Insp Nor Idayu Yusoff while the accused was unrepresented.
On Dec 23, Penang police chief Comm Datuk Azizee Ismail said a fire that killed a woman and her adopted daughter in Teluk Air Tawar on Dec 10 was believed to have been caused by her son.
In the incident, Hayani and the girl were burnt to death after being trapped in the house.
The accused, meanwhile, was injured after being crushed by a collapsing roof structure.
