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Lorry driver indicted on charges of rape, murder

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THE accused being escorted by the police after the Sessions Court sitting in Sibu yesterday.
THE accused being escorted by the police after the Sessions Court sitting in Sibu yesterday.

SIBU: A 42-year-old lorry driver was yesterday indicted in the Sessions Court here on two felony charges of raping and murdering a 26-yearold- woman at a rented house at Tiong Hua Road three weeks ago. However, no plea was taken from the accused, Philip Uja, from Kanowit who understood both charges read and explained to him through an interpreter in the Iban language.

Deputy Public Prosecutor, Mohammad Tajul Aariffin Musa applied for the case to be fixed for further mention pending chemist and autopsy reports. Presiding Sessions Court Judge, Caroline Bee Majanil who allowed the application, fixed the case for further mention on Oct 2.

Meanwhile, she ordered the accused to be further remanded. For the first charge, Phiiip was accused of committing murder by causing the death of Nurnia Azalea Priscilla Edward at an unnumbered room in Tiong Hua Road between 8pm on Aug 1 and 2.30pm on Aug 2.

The offence was committed under Section 302 of the Penal Code which provides for a mandatory death sentence upon conviction. Philip also faced the second charge of raping the same victim and causing her death at the same time and place.

The offence was framed under Section 376(4) of the Penal Code; if convicted, he could face the death penalty or imprisonment for a term of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years as well as with whipping of not less than 10 strokes.

The victim, who married last year, was found dead in her rented house with her hands and legs tied behind her back. The body of Nurnia, who worked at a government department in UTC Sibu, was discovered by a colleague who went to check on her after she failed to show up for work.

The colleague had gone to the house to look for her at the request of Nurnia’s husband after his calls were unanswered.

The victim, who hailed from Kanowit, lived alone in the rented house as her husband was working in Tatau. The couple had no children.

A post-mortem revealed that she died from a head injury due to blunt force trauma. Her skull, which was fractured, was believed to have been hit by a blunt object, and there were also injuries on her face and neck. The accused was subsequently arrested a week later at a longhouse in Julau.

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