KUALA KUBU BARU: A 26-year-old police lance corporal was charged at the magistrate's court here with the murder of Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, whose body was found in an oil palm plantation in Felda Gedangsa in Hulu Selangor 11 days ago.
Muhammad Alif Monjani nodded to indicate he understood the charge after it was read out to him before Sessions Court judge Nurul Mardhiah Mohammed Redza, who sat as magistrate for the proceedings.
Alif, who was clad in a black collared T-shirt, stood in the dock looking calm and composed.
No plea was recorded as murder cases are under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
He is charged with murdering Nur Farah Kartini, 25, a Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris graduate, at Ladang SKC Keledang in the Hulu Bernam subdistrict in Hulu Selangor.
He committed the offence from 9am on July 10 until 6pm July 15.
The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries the death penalty.
State prosecution director Ku Hayati Ku Haron prosecuted.
She asked the court to set a mention date pending the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and telecommunications reports.
The court set Aug 30 for mention.
Alif was represented by lawyers Nur Aida Md Zainuddin and Aida Jaafar Mad Ariff.
Yesterday, Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the suspect will be charged with murder.
Hussein had said they believed a relationship dispute had led to the murder of Nur Farah Kartini.
The victim, who worked at a car rental company, had delivered a car to a customer in a residential area in Tanjung Malim around 8am on July 10.
She was seen leaving in a red car after completing the delivery.
Her body was found around 6pm on July 15; and Hussein had confirmed that the body was that of Nur Farah Kartini.
She was buried at the Kampung Nyiur Manis Muslim burial ground in Pekan, Pahang.
Police's search for evidence linked to the murder saw the recovery of items believed to have belonged to Nur Farah Kartini such as a smartphone, purse, car key at an oil palm plantation in Kampung Sri Keledang, Hulu Bernam; and Sungai Trolak, Slim River in Perak.
A simcard believed to be used by the suspect as well as a red Toyota Vios were analysed.
A cassava farm in Kampung Klan Halt, Slim River was also the focus of the police in their bid to find more evidence.