No plea was recorded from Zulazren Zakariah, 31, after the charge was read out before magistrate Nurul Saqinah Rosli, as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Zulazren was charged with murdering Amirul Rashid Niza, 28, by stabbing him in the chest at about 6.50pm at a house in Taman Sri Pagi, Senawang, here on Aug 11.

The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, provides for the death penalty or imprisonment of not less than 30 years and not more than 40. If not sentenced to death, the individual will be subject to not less than 12 strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.

No bail was allowed. The court set Oct 17 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Nik Nur ‘Aqilah Syarfa Nik Zaidi appeared for the prosecution while Zulazren was unrepresented.

Meanwhile, in another case, Saqinah sentenced Khairol Abu, 40, to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to his wife.

He was charged with committing the offence at about 1pm at a house in Lenggeng on June 6.