KOTA BARU, July 14 — A pair of lovers were charged at the Magistrates’ Court here today with murdering a man in Kampung Gondang, Ketereh here, last May.

Maizatul Shima Abdullah, 21, and Muhammad Zaim Syakir Shaari, 20, nodded their understanding after the charge against them was read out together before Magistrate Muhammad Fitri Mokhtar.

No plea was recorded as the case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The duo were jointly charged with murdering Muhamad Fahmi Adli Mat, 24, by slashing the victim’s body with a machete, at an old Muslim cemetery in Kampung Gondang, between 10pm on May 14 and 1am the following day.

The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code and read together with Section 34 of the same Code, provides for the death sentence upon conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Yusnaliza Mohammad Yusoff did not offer any bail while the duo were unrepresented.

The court did not allow both the accused to be released on bail and fixed October 26 for mention and to obtain the forensic report. — Bernama