A 71-YEAR-OLD gardener has been formally charged with murder over the fatal shooting of three people at a restaurant in Taman Kota Jaya last week, following his seven-day remand.
The accused, Lim Lian, was brought before Magistrate Nurkhalida Farhana Abu Bakar in Kota Tinggi today, where the charge was read to him through a Mandarin interpreter.
No plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
He is accused of killing two Malaysian men, Wong Poh Soon, 61, and Chen Kwai Hwa, 64, as well as a Vietnamese woman, Tran Thi Trang, 37, at Kedai Chan Fong Moi on Jalan Delima, Taman Kota Jaya, at about 1.30pm on April 19.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty, or imprisonment of up to 40 years and whipping of not less than 12 strokes if the death sentence is not imposed.
Deputy public prosecutor Eizlan Azhar conducted the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer Belinda Low. The court fixed May 13 for mention and denied bail.
Lim arrived at the courthouse at about 9.15am under police escort from the Kota Tinggi district headquarters, accompanied by investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Nor Azizi Indzam, who also heads the district criminal investigation section.
He appeared composed as he entered the court premises in handcuffs, wearing a collared T-shirt and purple police lock-up trousers.
Previous reports indicated that the victims were shot with a Benelli M/Super shotgun bearing serial number M104817.
A debt believed to be around RM50,000 is being investigated as a possible motive.
The suspect, who is said to hold a valid firearms licence, was arrested approximately 200 metres from the scene shortly after the incident and had been remanded for seven days, which ended yesterday.
Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad was earlier reported as saying the accused would face three murder charges under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
The shooting, which occurred at about 1.30pm, involved victims aged between 37 and 64. – April 27, 2026
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