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A Chinese national accused of fatally stabbing her colleague at a restaurant in a Cheras shopping mall has pleaded not guilty to murder at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur
Former waitress Yang Yahong, 36, entered the plea before High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin earlier today, 3 June.
She is accused of murdering Zhang Wei, 34, who worked as a cashier at the same restaurant, at around 4.30pm on 29 November 2024.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty, or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and no fewer than 12 strokes of the rotan upon conviction.
However, under Section 289(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), females are strictly exempt from judicial caning (whipping) for any offence.
The court fixed 16 July for case management, reported Bernama.
During proceedings, Justice Aslam also asked Yang whether she required a court-appointed lawyer, to which she agreed.
Deputy public prosecutor Faridah Nurdinie Bahrum appeared for the prosecution, while lawyer Michelle Tan held a watching brief for the victim's family.
The case stems from a fatal stabbing that shocked shoppers and restaurant workers in Cheras
Following the incident over a year ago, Cheras district police chief ACP Aidil Bolhassan said police received a report that a woman had been stabbed at a restaurant inside a shopping centre.
The victim died while being taken to hospital.
Police said there were four to five stab wounds on the victim's body.
At the time, investigators detained seven individuals, all believed to be colleagues of the victim, to assist in the investigation.
Police also said they were working to establish the motive behind the attack and trace additional witnesses, according to the New Straits Times.
The woman also faces a separate weapons charge
Earlier this year, Yang pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to carrying two knives in a public place without a valid reason.
She was charged under Section 6(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act.
The offence carries a punishment of up to two years' imprisonment and whipping if convicted.
Yang Yahong being brought to the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court on 17 December 2024.
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