11-year-old boy choked, battered to death over RM4

KUANTAN (THE STAR) - An 11-year-old boy has died after he was allegedly kicked, choked and assaulted by a 16-year-old boy in an incident stemming from a dispute over RM4 (S$1.30) on Sunday (March 20).

Kuantan police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the incident was believed to have occurred at a welfare home for orphans and asnaf (Muslim poor) here, when the suspect and the victim along with six other residents were clearning the surau.

"The victim was allegedly carried by three residents to the dormitory supervisor's home located around 50m from the surau at 4.15pm in an unconscious state. The supervisor had initially thought that the victim had suffered a seizure.

"The supervisor immediately rushed the victim to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital where the doctor confirmed the victim had died at the emergency ward," he said when contacted here on Monday (March 21).

Preliminary investigations revealed that witnesses claimed the suspect had confronted the victim, who he suspected had taken RM4 belonging to him, but he grew dissatisfied when the victim ignored him.

This resulted in the suspect allegedly choking and slamming the victim against the ground till he lost consciousness.

Wan Mohd Zahari said the suspect has been remanded till March 27 to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries a death sentence upon conviction.