Butterworth man charged with murder of mother and adopted sister in Teluk Air Tawar fire
BUTTERWORTH, Dec 26 — A 23-year-old surveyor has been charged with murdering his mother and adopted younger sister at a house in Teluk Air Tawar on Dec 10, according to Sinar Harian.
Daniel Qayyum Kamalrolzlan, dressed in a blue T-shirt, nodded in understanding after the charges were read separately before Magistrate Balqis Roslin this morning.
No plea was recorded, as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
He faces two charges: one for the murder of his mother, Hayani Yaakob, 51, and another for killing his six-year-old adopted sister.
Both offences are alleged to have occurred at 9.45 am at No 4, Lorong Nakhoda 5, Taman Teluk Air Tawar.
Daniel is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or up to 40 years’ imprisonment and a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Inspector Nor Idayu Yusoff did not offer bail, noting that magistrates have no power to grant bail in murder cases.
The magistrate adjourned the case to Jan 29 pending forensic and post-mortem reports.
Sinar Harian reported that Daniel had been remanded until Dec 25 to assist with investigations.
The fire, which broke out at 9.41 am, involved a semi-detached class A house and caused an estimated 85 per cent damage.
During the blaze, a male victim in his 20s was rescued and treated at the Intensive Care Unit of Hospital Seberang Jaya, while the mother and her adopted child were found charred in the living room near the main exit, according to Sinar Harian.