BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AN INDONESIAN man accused of murdering a woman in Kg Kiulap three years ago has pleaded guilty to the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder at a High Court hearing yesterday.

Novi Yusup Affendi, 32, is accused of murdering Indonesian Dedah Karmilah Nurazis, 32, in the Giordano staff house in the Tian Chung Building, Kiulap Complex, on July 6, 2011.

If found guilty of murder, he faces the death penalty.

Novi is also charged under Section 304(1) of the Penal Code with committing culpable homicide not amounting to murder by causing the death of Dedah.

The penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.

Following the trial, two judges yesterday ruled there was a prima facie case to answer regarding the murder charge. The court called for the defendant to enter his defence.

As a result of the ruling, Novi’s counsel, Ridzlan, told the court his client wished to change his plea and was now pleading guilty to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The case is scheduled to be heard before Justice Dato Paduka Steven Chong and Justice Dato Paduka Hairol Arni Hj Abdul Majid this afternoon at the High Court.

Today, Deputy Public Prosecutor Hjh Suhana Sudin will be submitting the statement of facts to be read in court, while defence counsel Ridzlan Hj Ibrahim will be delivering the mitigation on his client’s behalf. Novi has been remanded at Jerudong Prison.

The Brunei Times