KAJANG: An e-hailing driver and his friend were today charged with the murder of a businessman, whose body was found inside a luggage bag in a ravine in Hulu Langat, near here.

J. Devan, 41, and his unemployed friend S. Hariharan, 22, nodded to acknowledge the charge, which was read out before Magistrate Nik Siti Norazlini Nik Mohamed Faiz.

No plea was taken because murder cases come under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The two were jointly charged with murdering Mohamed Usman Chan Bacha, 41, on the slopes of the 27-metre-deep ravine along Jalan Sungai Tekali, Batu 14, Hulu Langat, between 12.45 pm on April 26 and 6.40 pm on April 28.

The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same law, provides for the death sentence on conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Norfarhanim Abdul Halim while Devan was represented by lawyer Kenny Tan Cheng Yee and Hariharan was unrepresented.

The court set June 19 this year for mention.

On May 2, Bernama reported that police had arrested several individuals in connection with the murder of the owner of a chain of clinics, whose body was recovered from the ravine.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said police believed money was the motive for the murder as one of the suspects had financial problems and had obtained RM20,000 from the victim.

-- BERNAMA