JITRA: The magistrate's court here has postponed the murder case of Felcra pensioner Sabari Baharom, involving a contractor and his nephew, to February.
Magistrate Nurul Huda Idris set Feb 16 as the new mention date following a request by Kedah prosecution director Datuk Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim, pending forensic and chemical reports.
The prosecution also applied for the case to be transferred to the Alor Star High Court, with a decision expected at the next mention.
The accused, contractor Mazuan Hanafi, 38, and his nephew Muhd Asyraf Idris, a 26-year-old factory worker, were charged on Oct 17 at the Jitra magistrate's court with the murder of 62-year-old Sabari.
The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the death sentence or up to 40 years imprisonment, alongside at least 12 strokes of whipping if the death penalty is not imposed.
No plea was recorded, as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
Lawyer Nur Shafiqah Zainuddin represented the accused.
Earlier, both accused arrived at the Jitra courthouse at 9.15am under tight police escort.
Wearing plain blue attire and jeans, they were handcuffed and transported in a police van.
Sabari's family members and neighbours were also present at the courthouse.
The suspects were arrested on Sept 27, last year after Sabari's charred Proton Waja was found in Kampung Pulau Belantek, about 60km from his home.
Sabari, a father of three who lived alone in Kampung Mengkuang Tengah, Kupang, was reported missing on Sept 4.
Investigators later determined he was abducted during a robbery at his home. Police believe the suspects targeted Sabari after he recognised them when they broke into his house.
A breakthrough came after police detained a 62-year-old woman linked to suspicious transactions from Sabari's account.
The investigation found that one of the suspects, reportedly a gambling addict, used RM16,000 from Sabari's bank account for gambling in Batam, Indonesia.
According to Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh, the suspects admitted to binding Sabari's hands, taping his mouth, and throwing him into Sungai Padang Terap. The case was reclassified as murder on Sept 30.