Three male students detained over murder of schoolgirl Irene Sofiya

Three male students detained over murder of schoolgirl Irene Sofiya



According to Berita Harian, the suspects were arrested several hours after the body of Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal, 16, was found at about 5.30pm. — Picture by Raymond Manuel


Summary

• Police have arrested three 16-year-old students in connection with the murder of a Form Four student found at a Yong Peng school.
• One suspect is expected to appear in Batu Pahat Magistrate's Court for a remand order as investigations continue.
• The victim was discovered by her grandmother and a friend after she failed to return home, with the motive still unclear.

First Published: Sunday, 04 Oct 2026 10:54 AM MYT


BATU PAHAT, Oct 4 — Police have detained three 16-year-old male students in connection with the alleged murder of a Form Four student whose body was discovered at a school in Yong Peng yesterday.

According to Berita Harian, the suspects were arrested several hours after the body of Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal, 16, was found at about 5.30pm.

Sources said one of the students is expected to be brought before the Batu Pahat Magistrate's Court this morning for a remand order to allow police to continue their investigation.

All three suspects are believed to be students at the same school attended by the victim. Authorities suspect Irene was brutally killed before her body was abandoned inside the school's hall.

The victim was reportedly found by her grandmother and a friend who had gone to the school looking for her after she failed to return home.

Police have not yet released further details on the motive or circumstances surrounding the case, and investigations are ongoing.



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Murdered schoolgirl was well-liked, good student, says friend



The friend said the 16-year-old victim's absence during an extra class session had initially raised little concern among classmates, who assumed she was unwell. — Bernama pic


Summary

• A top student, expected to score straight As in her SPM, was found dead at her school in Yong Peng, with police suspecting murder.
• Concern arose when the 16-year-old did not return home after extra classes, leading her grandmother and a friend to find her body in the school hall.
• The victim, who lived with her grandmother, was discovered with injuries indicating an assault, and a broken flower pot was found nearby.

First Published: Sunday, 04 Oct 2026 11:14 AM MYT


BATU PAHAT, Oct 4 — A Form Four student found dead in a secondary school in Yong Peng yesterday was among the school's top academic performers and had been expected to achieve straight As in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination next year, according to a classmate.

The friend said the 16-year-old victim's absence during an extra class session had initially raised little concern among classmates, who assumed she was unwell.

A teacher had asked about the student's whereabouts during the lesson, but none of the pupils knew why she was absent, the classmate said.

“I only later learned that she had not returned home. At the time, I never imagined that anything serious had happened to her,” the student said.

The friend recalled that a teacher contacted students after sunset to ask about the timing of the additional classes, prompting suspicions that something was wrong.

“When I asked the teacher why, I was eventually told that something bad had happened at the school. I was shocked and never expected such an incident could occur,” the student said.

Describing the victim, the friend said she was highly focused on her studies and actively involved in school activities. Her academic record had led many to believe she was capable of obtaining straight As in next year's national examination.

“She was dedicated to her studies and active in school programmes. That is why we still cannot believe what has happened. We can still picture her face and never thought we would lose her,” the friend said.

The girl was found dead at about 5.30pm on Thursday inside the school's hall, with injuries on her body. Police are treating the case as a murder.

She was discovered by her grandmother and a friend who went to the school after becoming concerned when she failed to return home following the end of extra classes.

According to the report, the victim had been living with her grandmother after her mother died of cancer several years ago, while her father works in Kuala Lumpur.

The victim was reportedly found with dried blood on her body and bruises consistent with an assault. A broken flower pot was also found near the scene.