A soldier was charged in the Port Dickson Magistrate’s Court today with the murder of his nine-year-old daughter last month.

According to Bernama, Mohammad Abdullah Mohamed, 35, nodded after the charge was read out before magistrate Siti Khariah Abdul Razak, but no plea was recorded.

Mohammad Abdullah is accused of murdering Nur Aina Nabihah at Taman Vista Jaya in Lukut, Port Dickson, between 8.30pm and 11.30pm on Jan 31 this year.

He faces the mandatory death sentence, as provided for under Section 302 of the Penal Code, if found guilty.

The court set March 15 for the mention of the case.

Deputy public prosecutor A Ashwini prosecuted, while Mohammad Abdullah was not represented.

According to reports, police detained the suspect and the child's 34-year-old stepmother on Feb 1, after the girl died in the Seremban Hospital after being found unconscious at home. The woman has since been released on bond.

The child had various injuries on her body, including a punctured intestine, damaged liver and broken ribs. 

Some reports stated that Nur Aina was subjected to a commando-like routine by the suspect, who is her biological father.

This included doing push-ups, sit-ups, rollovers and squats. She was also reportedly beaten, among others, with a plastic chair and belt, slapped, kicked and even stomped on. 

The child was made to undergo these "punishments" because Nur Aina did not recite prayers before bedtime, made mistakes while reciting the Quran, or did not obey the man's instructions, reports said.