KUALA TERENGGANU: Police believe there are enough criminal elements to justify a murder charge in the case of a woman who crashed her sports utility vehicle into three university students last Wednesday.
Terengganu police chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairuddin, commenting on the case where three Dungun Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) students were killed, said several factors were taken into account when deciding to charge the suspect with murder and attempted murder and not a traffic offence.
He said police received instructions from the Attorney-General's Chambers to charge the suspect under the Penal Code instead of the Road Transport Act 1987.
He said there were also no medical records to back up claims that the suspect, a mother of three, had mental health problems.
Earlier today, Norizan Ismail, 49, was charged with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code at the Dungun Magistrate's Court.
She was also charged under Section 307 (1) of the Penal Code for attempted murder at the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court.
The court also ordered the accused to undergo psychiatric treatment at the Johor Bharu Permai Hospital.
"Usually, in such cases, we would bring charges under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. However, upon orders from the AGC, the suspect is required to be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
"This is taking into account that the suspect may have been aware of the collision, and did not stop her vehicle after dragging the victims for more than 100 metres.
"The AGC was of the opinion that based on these elements, the suspect should be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code," he said at a press conference held at the state police headquarters today.
Mohd Khairi said police had summoned 11 witnesses as well as the suspect's family members to aid the investigation.
He said checks also showed that the woman did not have a driver's licence.
He also asked the public to cease making negative comments and stop sharing pictures or videos of the incident.
He said police have yet to receive any complaints of harassment from the suspect's family.
who were on their way back to campus.
The victims were Ku Adib Aizab Ku Azmi, 20; Khairul Anwar Jamaluddin, 20; and Muhammad Akmal Md Tukirin, 25.
Muhammad Ammar Danish Mohamad Ridhuan, 20, sustained injuries.