Low Hop Bing J:

The Charge

[1] The charge preferred by the prosecution against the accused reads as follows:

Bahawa kamu pada 05.07.03 di antara jam 7.00 malam hingga 8.00 malam bertempat di hadapan rumah tidak bernombor Kampung Orang Asli, Bukit Seraya, Selandar di dalam Daerah Jasin, di dalam Negeri Melaka telah melakukan pembunuhan ke atas Mah binti Bentong KP: 600505-05-5584. Oleh yang demikian kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan di bawah Seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaan dan boleh dihukum di bawah Kanun yang sama.

[My translation:

That you on 5.7.2003 between 7.00p.m. and 8.00p.m. in front of an unnumbered house in the Orang Asli Kampong, Bukit Seraya, Selandar in the district of Jasin, in the state of Melaka did commit murder on one Mah binti Bentong IC No. 600505-05-5584 and that you have thereby committed an offence under s. 302 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same Code.]

[2] A reference hereinafter to any section is a reference to that section in the Penal Code, unless otherwise stated.

Essential Elements

[3] In order to establish a prima facie case of murder punishable under s. 302 , it is incumbent upon the prosecution to prove:

1. the death of the deceased;

2. the