JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 4 — Two brothers were charged in the Magistrates’ Court here today with the murder of a man who was among six charred skeletal remains found inside a burnt house in Kangkar Pulai earlier this year.

The accused, R. Utes, 36, and R. Arasan, 32, nodded after the charge was read out by an interpreter before Magistrate Nabilah Nizam.

No pleas were recorded as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Utes and Arasan, who are siblings, are charged with causing the death of V. Thamil Selvan, 39, at an unnumbered house in an oil palm plantation in Kangkar Pulai between 12.30am and 4.00am on September 15, 2025.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, read together with Section 34 of the same code for joint criminal liability. Those found guilty face the death sentence or 30 to 40 years’ imprisonment and whipping.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Aishah Latif, while the accused were represented by counsels Mohd Hamizi Mohd Yusof and Mohamad Isa Mohamad Nasir.

The court set April 6 for the remention of the case.

Earlier, the two accused were brought into the Johor Bahru court complex under armed escort by officers from the Johor Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Utes, who was in a red T-shirt, was seen walking with the aid of a crutch and assisted by a policeman.

Yesterday, it was reported that six people, including three children and a teenager, were found murdered, with their skeletal remains discovered in a burnt-down house in Kangkar Pulai, near here.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the 48-year-old husband of one of the six victims lodged a report at the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters on January 9.

He said the report was made after the husband came across human skeletal remains at a house in an oil palm plantation while searching for his wife and children, who had been reported missing.

Following the discovery, Ab Rahaman said the post-mortem confirmed the victims were aged two, five, nine, 17, 29 and 35. Among them were one boy and three girls, none of whom were registered in any school.

Four suspects — three men and a woman aged between 19 and 35 — were arrested in connection with the case on January 21 at several locations around Iskandar Puteri.

Two men were charged today, while the other two suspects were released on police bail and are expected to testify as prosecution witnesses.