Kuching: The Magistrate’s Court here today scheduled May 26 for the mention of the case involving an e-hailing driver accused of murdering Nurul Asikin Lan. Her body was discovered in a drain along Jalan Setia Raja, Tabuan, last December.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Magistrate Syarifah Fatimah Azura Wan Ali set the date following a request from the prosecution, represented by deputy public prosecutor Jean Siow Chung Hwei. The prosecution is awaiting the forensic report concerning WhatsApp messages exchanged between the suspect and the victim.

The court was informed that the prosecution had already received reports on the victim’s DNA analysis and post-mortem. Zakwan Mokhtar, 24, who is not represented by legal counsel, is charged with causing the death of 29-year-old Nurul Asikin. Her body was found at 9.10 pm on December 14 of the previous year.

The charge is framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which stipulates a penalty of death or imprisonment ranging from 30 to 40 years. If not sentenced to death, the convict could also receive a minimum of 12 lashes as part of the sentence.