JOHOR BARU, March 1 — Family members of murdered victim Mila Sharmilah Samsusah, better known as Bella, are advised to respect court proceedings and not make any provocative statements or assumptions that could interfere with the proceedings of the case.

Johor police chief Commissioner M Kumar said Mohammad Haikal Mahfuz, 25, the suspect in the case, was brought to the Magistrate’s Court in Batu Pahat on January 24, and therefore Bella’s family members should let the legal process proceed without any intervention.

"Let the court make the decision...we should not judge anyone as members of the public. We have an honourable court, the trial will take place and everyone involved will be given the opportunity to defend themselves,” he said after launching the MyFundAction Ramadan Tour Mission at Masjid Jamek Bandar Baru Uda here today.

He said this when asked about the actions of Bella’s sister who made comments related to the case on Facebook.

He said police will also examine the posts made by family members of the deceased before giving further comments.

On January 24, Bella’s boyfriend Mohammad Haikal was charged in the Magistrate’s Court, in Batu Pahat. for the murder of the 32-year-old woman in Tongkang Pechah here in December, last year.

However, no plea was recorded after the charges were read out before Magistrate Suhaila Shafi’uddin because the case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Mohammad Haikal, a postman, is accused of murdering Bella between 11am on December 14 and 5.30am on December 15 between Jalan Kelapa Bali, Taman Soga and Jalan Parit Besar, Kampung Parit Besar, and an abandoned house in Lorong Imam Jailani, Tongkang Pechah in Batu Pahat.

The accused is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for a term not less than 30 years or not exceeding 40 years, if not sentenced to death, and caning not less than 12 times.

On January 19, police found incomplete skeleton remains in an abandoned house in Lorong Imam Jailani (Batu Pahat) after being led there by one of the main suspects in the case of the disappearance of the single mother of two.

Bella was reported missing on December 14 after she left in her boyfriend’s car at 11.50pm to go to a laundromat but did not return. — Bernama