ALOR SETAR, March 9 - A security guard was arraigned in the Alor Setar Magistrate's Court today on a charge of murdering his mother in early March.

However, no plea was recorded against the accused, Abdul Rahman Harun, 43, when the charge was read out before Magistrate Nur Syifa Mohd Hamzah.

According to the charge sheet, the accused committed murder by causing the death of Isah Salleh, 68, at a house in Kampung Bok Bok, Derga, Alor Setar.

The act was committed between 7.00 am and 8.00 am, on March 2.

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death penalty or imprisonment for a period of not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years.

If not sentenced to death, he can be punished with not less than 12 strokes of the cane.

Magistrate Nur Syifa ordered the accused to be sent to the Tanjung Rambutan Hospital Bahagia on March 11 and the case will be mentioned again on April 10.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor, Nur Huda Diyanah Amir Hamzah, while the accused, who has a Person with Disability's card (mental), was not represented by a lawyer.

In the incident, a woman died after it is believed that she was beaten and burned by her own son until she was charred.