Construction worker walks free on murder charge

JOHOR BARU: A Chinese national has escaped the gallows after the High Court here acquitted and discharged him of his former employer's murder.

Construction worker Zhu Jia Hong, 23, walked out a free man after the court made the ruling on Tuesday (Nov 28).

According to the charge sheet, Zhu was accused of murdering Zhao Chang Xiang at 11.30pm on July 6, 2019 in a workers' hostel in Forest City Tanjung Kupang.

He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries the death sentence upon conviction.

In the decision, Justice Noor Hayati Mat ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the accused.

The case was prosecuted by DPP Nasrudin Mohamed while Zhu was represented by Datin Freda Sabapathy.