VICTIM IN KOLEJ VOKASIONAL MURDER CASE STOLE MONEY TO BUY SHOES, SAYS WITNESS

TAWAU, April 14 (Bernama) -- The High Court was told today that Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, also known as Ijat, who died at Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu, had admitted to stealing money to buy a pair of shoes.

The 11th accused in the ongoing murder trial stated in his witness testimony that he became aware of the matter after Ijat personally confessed and promised not to steal again.

"While we were in the room, I learned that the victim had admitted to stealing money from the third and fourth accused. Present in the room at the time were the first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th, and 13th accused, as well as several other students whose identities I did not know. I saw him being pushed, but I could not identify who started it.

"I pushed him too. Later, I sat in front of him and asked why he stole the money. He replied that he wanted to buy shoes and promised not to steal again," he said in his witness statement during the murder trial before Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol.

A total of 13 male students, aged between 16 and 19, have been charged with murdering Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat, 17, in Dormitories 7 Resak and 5 Belian at Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu between 9.00 pm on March 21 and 7.38 am on March 22.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years, along with a maximum of 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.

The 11th accused, who is also the 13th defence witness, told the court that he engaged in a one-on-one fight with Ijat in Dormitory Room 5 Belian.

“He was the one who proposed settling the matter through a one-on-one fight. He chose to fight me. He struck me on the left rib and I fell in pain and conceded,” he said.

During cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Batrisyia Mohd Khusri, the accused disagreed with the suggestion that he had repeatedly assaulted the victim. 

In re-examination by counsel Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki, the 11th accused told the court that Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat was still physically strong following their one-on-one fight. 

The prosecution team also comprises DPPs Nur Nisla Abdul Latif and Ng Juhn Tao.

Eight of the 13 juveniles are represented by lawyers Ram Singh, Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki, and Chen Wen Jye, while the remaining five are represented by Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin, Abdul Ghani Zelika, Vivian Thien, Jhesseny P. Kang, and Kusni Ambotuwo.

The trial resumes tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA