KUCHING, March 31 — The caregiver of missing boy Eric Chang Wei Jie and her husband were today charged in a Magistrates’ Court with his murder.
A court translator read the charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code to Wendy Chai Xue Zhen, 36, and Ling Kok Liang, 51, and no plea was taken.
The Section provides for the death penalty upon conviction.
Magistrate Zaiton Anuar extended the couple’s remand order until further mention on May 9.
In the same courtroom, Chai and Ling also faced five charges each under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, for which they had outstanding warrants off arrest.
No plea was taken for these charges as well.
Deputy public prosecutor Tan Chuan Yi handled the prosecution, while the two accused were unrepresented by counsel.
According to an earlier press conference by Kuching police chief ACP Ahsmon Bajah, Ling would also face a charge under Section 380 of the Penal Code for theft.
The couple had been remanded in connection with Eric’s disappearance and alleged murder since March 10.
The four-year-old was first reported missing on March 9, when his mother Dynasty Chang Ka Hui realised Eric was missing from Chai’s home.
Police remanded the couple from March 12-16 to assist with the investigation under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 for ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment, or exposure of children.
They were then further remanded to assist with the investigation after Chai reportedly confessed to police that she knew what happened to Eric.
The case was then reclassified under Section 302 of Penal Code for murder.
A multi-agency search operation was conducted in Muara Tebas for Eric on March 13-19.
The husband and wife were then further detained from March 24 until today. — Borneo Post
