GEORGE TOWN: A man who was detained by police shortly after hacking a woman to death on Tuesday, was charged with her murder today.
No plea was recorded from Ong Kok Bu 29, who was charged from his hospital bed at the Penang Hospital here.
Ong, who is unrepresented, indicated he understood the charge read out to him.
He was accused of killing Lee Yen Suan, 42, in front of a shop at Jalan Taman Sin Tat, Butterworth about 10.55am on Dec 19.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
Magistrate Siti Zulaikha Nordin @ Ghani set March 25, next year for mention of the case pending post-mortem and chemist reports.
No bail was offered.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nurameera Shahrul Azrin appeared for the prosecution.
Newsmen had waited outside Ward C2 of the hospital since 9am for Ong to be charged.
The magistrate and DPP, accompanied by police, arrived at 12.45pm.
It was reported that a man was detained by police on Tuesday after he was rescued by the public while attempting to jump off the Penang Bridge.
He was believed to have hacked a woman to death prior to making his way to the bridge.
About 11.10am on Tuesday, police were alerted to an incident where a man had hacked a woman with a parang at Jalan Raja Uda.
The victim was taken to the Seberang Jaya Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11.58am.
Closed circuit television (CCTV) footage near the scene captured the gruesome act, providing crucial evidence for the case.
Following the attack, the suspect attempted to leap off the Penang Bridge, but members of the public intervened and rescued him.
Investigation later showed that the man was the woman's nephew and had acted out of anger.