KUALA LUMPUR – Police presence has been increased at the Ipoh Court today ahead of the charging of a senior police officer with the murder of 17-year-old student Muhammad Zaharif Affendi Muhd Zamrie.
Bernama on X (formerly Twitter) reported that police officers are on standby, while media personnel had also gathered as early as 7.30am to cover the case involving a deputy superintendent.
Some of the teen’s family members had also gathered outside the court since 8am, New Straits Times reported.
Zaharif’s death on Friday, as he was riding his motorcycle still dressed in his sports uniform, has sparked public outrage as the suspect allegedly rammed into the teen after reportedly tailing him from his school, SMK Jati, in Meru, Ipoh.
According to witnesses who posted on social media, the suspect, who was driving a Perodua Ativa, appeared to be annoyed by Zaharif’s noisy motorcycle exhaust and rammed into the teen, who had slowed his bike down by the side of the road.
Zaharif’s brother had said that the teen was on his way to a mosque for Friday prayers after school.
Last night, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, in a statement, said it had sufficient evidence to charge the suspect with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
The senior cop, whom witnesses said had stopped to look at Zaharif after ramming into him but then left the scene as the crowd grew, was arrested on Friday and remanded the following day.
His three-day remand ends today, and he will face a charge at the Ipoh magistrates’ court.
Zaharif suffered injuries to his chest and abdomen, an autopsy revealed, and died at the scene while waiting for an ambulance. – December 18, 2023