Eight men, including four juveniles, were charged in the Magistrate’s Court in Johor Bahru today with the murder of a man in the compound of a school last week.

Lim Chin Hoang, 18; Wong Jiunn Woei, 18; Ko Boon Hao, 20, Lom Zhi Hao, 23, and the four juveniles, aged between 15 and 17, nodded their head after the charge was read out to them before Magistrate Azureen Sahira Saufee Afandi.

However, none of the accused recorded a plea.

The eight were charged with participating at an unlawful gathering for the prosecution of a common objective, which was to murder Chia Min Yong, 21, at SJKC Kuo Kuang 1, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah at 12.30pm on Nov 11.

Five of the accused were charged with committing an offence under Section 149 of the Penal Code. 

Upon conviction, they could be punished under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries the mandatory death sentence.

Lim was also charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code with voluntarily causing hurt with a knife on another 15-year-old at the same place, time and date.

The court set Dec 19 for mention.

Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Abdul Jalil Salam Muhamad, while all the accused were unrepresented.

Meanwhile, in another Magistrate’s Court, six men, including four juveniles aged 14 and 15, pleaded not guilty to possession of weapons while rioting at a national-type Chinese school at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah at 12.30pm on Nov 11.

Tay Boon Lay and Ooi Boon Jet, both 18, as well as the juveniles, were charged under Section 148 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to five years or a fine, or both, if found guilty.

Magistrate Noor Aisyah Ahmad set Dec 19 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Syafiq Mohd Ghazali prosecuted, while the six accused were unrepresented.

- Bernama