KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — The hearing of the court case involving the murder, abetting to kill and injuring Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) marine cadet officer, Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, slotted to continue today until Friday, was vacated after the four accused were found to be Covid-19 positive.
Deputy public prosecutor, N. Joy Jothi informed reporters the matter after the case management before High Court deputy registrar, Mahyudin Mohmad Som today.
“The trial was scheduled to continue today but the court vacated it for today, tomorrow and Friday as four of the accused are positive for Covid-19. The four are currently in Alor Setar Prison, Kedah,” he said, adding that the hearing was then postponed to February 4 and 5, and March 31.
Also present in court today were lawyers Shahiera Khalid, G. Kartini and G. Premman, representing the accused.
The court had previously set today for cross-examination by the prosecution of the 19th defence witness, Sungai Buloh Hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department head, Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan.
On July 31, 2019, judge Datuk Azman Abdullah ordered 18 UPNM students, now aged 24, to make their defence against the charges of murder, conspiracy to kill and injuring Zulfarhan.
Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mod Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat and Mohamad Shobirin Sabri face charges of killing Zulfarhan under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali was charged with abetting the murder under Section 109 of the same code which also provides for the mandatory death penalty, if convicted.
They were charged with committing the offence in room 04-10, Jebat hostel block, UPNM between 4.45am and 5.45am on May 22, 2017.
They, together with 12 others, were also ordered to make their defence against the charge of injuring the victim.
The 12 include Mohd Hafiz Fauzan Ismail, Mohamad Lukhmanul Hakim Mohd Zain, Ahmad Shafwan Berdal, Muhammad Amirul Asraff Mala, Luqman Hakim Shamsuri and Muhammad Sufi Mohd Mustapha.
The others are Noriznan Izzairi Noor Azhar, Muhamad Ashraf Abdullah, Muhammad Danial Firdaus Azmir, Muhammad Hasif, Muhammad Adib Iman and Mohamad Syazwan.
They were charged with intentionally injuring Zulfarhan, to obtain a confession that the victim had stolen a laptop. The offence under Section 330 of the Penal Code read with Section 34, carries a jail term of up to seven years and a fine.
It was allegedly committed in room 03-05, UPNM Jebat hostel block at Perdana Camp, Sungai Besi between 2.30am and 5.30am on May 21, 2017. — Bernama
