SEREMBAN: A 25-year-old Pakistani oil refinery worker has been charged at a Magistrate's Court here with the Jan 3 murder of a 22-year-old Indian national at a house in Port Dickson.

       No plea was recorded from Muhammad Hassan after the charge was read to him by the court interpreter before Magistrate Norzaliza Tesmin on Thursday (Jan 13).

       The accused allegedly committed the crime between 12.37am and 1.50am on Jan 3 at a house in Taman Happy, Batu 1 Jalan Pantai in Port Dickson

       Muhammad was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

       Both the accused and the victim, Vishavdeep Singh, were general workers at an oil refinery in Port Dickson.

       Norzaliza fixed Feb 10 for next mention and ordered the accused to be held at Jelebu Prison until then as this was a non-bailable offence.

       Norshazwani Ishak prosecuted while the accused was unrepresented.

       Port Dickson police chief Supt Aidi Sham Mohamed had said earlier that based on preliminary investigations, the accused and victim were housemates and had been drinking before the alleged incident.

       However, they later got into an argument and the accused allegedly stabbed the victim with a knife.