Photo: Bernama
DUNGUN: The lady driver who crashed her car into four Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Dungun students on Wednesday (Oct 9) was charged today in the Magistrate's Court with three counts of murder for the deaths of three victims.
The charges, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, were read out to Norizan Ismail, 49, before Magistrate Nur Amira Fatihah Osman.
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According to the charges, the mother of three was accused of causing the deaths of Muhammad Akmal Md Tukirin, 25; Ku Adib Aizad Ku Azmi, 20; and Khairil Anwar Jamaludin, also 20; at 7.35pm on Oct 9 at Jalan Pantai in front of UiTM Dungun.
No plea was recorded as the murder case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
If found guilty, Norizan could face the death penalty or imprisonment for not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years, and if not sentenced to death, whipping of not less than 12 strokes.
Earlier, when brought into the courtroom, Norizan expressed shyness and initially did not want to stand in the dock when asked for her name and identity card number but confirmed them when the information was displayed on a television screen in the court.
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After the first charge was read, Norizan said, "Saya terima saya dituduh” (I accept that I’m being charged).
State Prosecution Director Azizan Abdullah, representing the prosecution, noted her reaction as a reflection of her mental state and asked for the remaining charges to be read.
Norizan nodded after the second charge and initially shook her head to the third charge but nodded after it was re-read.
When Magistrate Nur Amirah Fatihah asked what she understood about the charges, Norizan replied: "I was charged with hitting people. I understand what was read out, but I don't know who I killed."
Azizan did not offer bail, indicating signs of insanity observed during the investigation, where recording her statement was problematic.
Azizan requested that Norizan undergo a psychiatric evaluation in accordance with Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Her lawyer, Nur Farahin Shazlin Mohd Redhuan Shah Edwin, did not object.
Magistrate Nur Amirah Fatihah ordered Norizan to be sent for mental examination at Permai Hospital, Johor Baru, for a month, setting Nov 17 for mention.
In the incident at 7.35pm last Wednesday, Norizan, driving a sports utility vehicle, crashed into four UiTM Dungun students.
Three of them — Ku Adib Aizad, Khairil Anwar, and Muhammad Akmal — died, while Muhammad Ammar Danish Mohamad Ridhuan, 20, was injured. – Bernama
