A MAN was brought before the Magistrates’ Court in Jelebu, Johor on Thursday to face a charge of murdering his six-year-old son last month.
M Arunkumar, 36, an e-hailing driver, was charged with causing the death of his son, A Tishant, between 9.02am and 12.55pm on 23 July 2025, by the roadside at Kilometre 25, Jalan Rompin-Bahau, in the Jempol district.
The charge was read before Magistrate Norshazwani Ishak, to which the accused nodded to indicate understanding. However, no plea was recorded, as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The charge is framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Adzmi did not offer bail and requested a mention date to allow for the post-mortem report to be submitted.
The court fixed 10 September for the next mention of the case, to be heard at the Seremban High Court.
According to earlier media reports, the child was initially reported missing on 24 July in the Taman Bukit Indah area of Iskandar Puteri, Johor. Days later, the body was discovered buried in Rompin, Jempol.
It was reported that the accused had previously lodged a police report, claiming his son had gone missing after being left alone in the car while he stepped out to buy food.
A post-mortem examination revealed the boy had died from ligature strangulation using a cable tie. Following the discovery and investigation, the father was arrested. - August 7, 2025