KOTA KINABALU, Oct 29 — Ten prison wardens were charged at the Magistrate’s court here today over the murder of an inmate in custody earlier this month. 

The charge was read in front of Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles, who fixed November 25 for the next mention.

No plea was taken from the accused — Amran Yasik, Abdul Mutalib @ Talib Abd Rasul, Barry Jipmon, Mohd Dzulfikri Mohd Safri, Farizan Mokri, Mohd Saiful Saidin, Muhammad Fazi Lakui, Shahryl Nazry Wan Sofian, Tomy Momoh and Zerry Maidin — as the case is being transferred to the High court. 

According to the charge sheet, the 10 were accused of murdering 36-year-old Shainal Mukhtar in his cell in blok Gemilang in the Kota Kinabalu Central Prison on October 4 this year.

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State prosecution director Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim requested for another date for mention pending the chemist and forensics reports.

Counsel PJ Pereira stood for the defence. 

It was reported that the prisoner who had been in jail for the past two years for drug related offences, was found unconscious in his cell while the post-mortem report found that the inmate died due to blunt trauma to the head, and there were also bruises visible on his head and body.

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The 10 prison wardens were arrested by the serious crime unit from the Kota Kinabalu district police station.

If convicted, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, the accused could be sentenced to death.