TAWAU, June 25 — Four foreign teen boys were charged in the Tawau Magistrate’s Court here today with the murder of a 49-year-old food stall operator, early this month.

The accused, three of whom were from the Philippines aged between 13, 14 and 19, and another from Indonesia, aged 14, were charged with killing the local man, Jaafar Jalman, at Taman Permainan, Jalan Persisiran here between 1am to 2am on June 9.

No plea was recorded from all accused after the charge read out to them before Magistrate Herlina Muse in a closed-door proceeding.

The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

The court set July 17 for mention of the case.

On June 10, media reported that a man was found dead in a drain at Jalan Bantu Fajar here, with stab wounds on his neck and chest.

Following that, the police arrested four teenagers to assist in the investigation into the case. — Bernama