The Malaysian Insight

SIX teenage boys accused of starting a fire at a tahfiz school in Kuala Lumpur will be charged with murder and drug abuse at the Kuala Lumpur magistrates’ court today.

The suspects have been detained since September 16. 

The blaze at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school in Kg Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur, in the early hours of September 14 destroyed the second floor of the building, killing 21 pupils and two wardens.

Police said initial investigations revealed that the motive was a teasing match between the youths and the tahfiz pupils that got out of hand.  

Early investigations by the fire department showed that a petrol bomb was behind the hostel fire.

According to Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh, two of the suspects will be charged with murder, while the others will be charged with drug abuse today.

The Malaysian Insight will bring you live updates from the Jalan Duta court complex. 

12:45pm: Police confirm that two of the suspects charged with murder leading to the deaths of 23 people, are aged 18 and 16. 

12:30pm: All suspects have been charged. Police confirmed that six suspects, including one charged with murder, will be charged with the self-administration of drugs.

Five of the suspects are juveniles.

12:20pm: Businessman Sharifuddin Musa, the father of one of the survivors, said he was at the courthouse to hear the charges.

“I can forgive, but (I’m) also sad about what happened. The other family members and I can only hope for fair sentences for the suspects,” he told reporters.

12pm: The mother of one of the deceased, who only gave her first name as Hartini, told The Malaysian Insight she came to the courthouse because she needed to see for herself those who caused the death of her son, 12-year-old Nik Muhammad Ridzuan Nik Azlan.

“I want to see the faces of the people who are responsible” she said.

“I want to know more about the charges, and who will be charged.”

11:15am: Utusan Online reports that the father of one of the victims, 45-year-old Dr Sharifuddin Musa, arrives at the courthouse. His son, Mohd Shahir, 11, is being treated at Kuala Lumpur Hospital for burns sustained on the back. He declines to speak to the press.

11am: The courtroom is packed with reporters and the public, all of whom are waiting for information on the case.

10:50am: Lawyers for the suspects aged between 12 and 18 say the suspects haven’t been brought to court yet, and they have not received any information on which suspect will be charged with murder.

10:30am: Principal Mohamad Zahid Mahmood is quoted as saying charging the youths will bring an end to the painful episode and bring closure to families of the victims as well the school.

“Whatever happens to them (the suspects) is determined by Allah, they need to face punishment for what they did,” Zahid was quoted as saying in Harian Metro Online.

He said he would not be present at the courthouse today as his focus was to “rebuild the tahfiz school and the morale of the pupils and teachers after this tragedy”.

9:45am: Court stands down while awaiting the arrival of investigating officer. 

9:40am: All suspects are expected to be brought to two separate courtrooms as one of the suspects, aged 18, is no longer a juvenile and will be tried as an adult. 

8:00am: Some 30 members of the media from local and foreign news agencies begin gathering outside the courthouse. There are no signs of family members of the fire victims. – September 28, 2017.