The victim’s stepmother, Asmaliza Ahmad, 39, said Muhammad Aimin Nurul Amin, the only child of her husband from a previous marriage, came home to their house in Charuk Puting here on Oct 31.
‘’He was his normal self all the while he was at home. He was always cheerful and active. I did not notice if he had bruises.
‘’We made the decision to send him and his elder stepbrother to the centre because the marks he obtained in class in the primary school were not satisfactory.
“He also had an interest in gaining religious knowledge,’’ she said when met at the Forensics Department of the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital here today, when claiming Aimin’s remains.
Aimin will be buried at the Muslim cemetery in Charuk Puting later today.
Aimin was confirmed dead at the Lanchang Health Clinic at 1.20pm yesterday after being found in a listless condition by a woman warden at the centre 20 minutes earlier.
An examination found bruises on the victim’s body. Police detained three 13-year-old students at the centre to help in investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
The centre, believed to have not been registered with the Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP), started operating early this year at a brick house in Kampung Kuala Kaung here.
To date, it had only four students, including the victim.
Warden Siti Nor Asilah Samsuri, 39, said she took Aimin to the health clinic after finding out he was still at the hostel although the other three students had already gone to the mosque to perform Friday prayers.
‘’He appeared listless and said he was tired. His feet and hands were also cold when I held them.
“His pants were also wet as if he had just taken it off the clothes’ line after washing and hanging it up for a short while.’’
The centre’s teacher, Mohd Heesham Mat Yeh, 39, who is also Siti Asilah’s husband, said Aimin had never complained of being bullied or being sick all the while that he was at the centre.
He said they also paid more attention to Aimin as he was the youngest pupil and more active than the rest.