KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The High Court has set September 29 and 30 to hear the final submission in the case of 18 Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) students charged in the murder of cadet marine officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.

Deputy public prosecutor N. Joy Jothi, when contacted by Bernama via the WhatsApp application today, said the submissions at the end of the defence case would be heard before Judge Datuk Azman Abdullah.

"The prosecution and defence have submitted the written submissions to the court. The prosecution submitted a 95-page submission early this month,” she said.

Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal and Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, the first and second accused, respectively, when contacted, confirmed the date and said he had a 85-page submission to the court last June 15.

The defence closed its case last April 8 after calling all 18 accused and two other witnesses, namely Sungai Buloh Hospital head of the Forensic Medical Department Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan and UPNM student Muhammad Alif Farhan Aerosni during the defence trial which began on October 2, 2019.

The prosecution produced 31 witnesses, including Serdang Hospital Medical Forensic specialist Dr Salmah Arshad and UPNM students Ahmad Senabil Mohd and Mohd Syafiq Abdullah who saw the act of a steam iron being pressed onto the victim’s body.

Hearing of the case started on January 29, 2018.

The High Court had ordered the 18 UPNM students to enter their defence on charges of murdering, injuring and abetting the murder of Zulfarhan on July 31, 2019.  

Five of the accused, namely Muhammad Akmal, Muhammad Azamuddin, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat and Mohamad Shobirin Sabri were charged with murder, while Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali was charged with abetting in the act.

They allegedly committed the offence in room 04-10, of the Jebat hostel building in UPNM, between 4.45am and 5.45am on May 22, 2017.

The charges against them were made under Section 302 and 109 of the Penal Code, which carry the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.  

The six, along with 12 others, were also ordered to enter their defence on charges of injuring the victim.

The 12 are Mohd Hafiz Fauzan Ismail, Mohamad Lukhmanul Hakim Mohd Zain, Ahmad Shafwan Berdal, Muhammad Amirul Asraff Mala, Luqman Hakim Shamsuri, Muhammad Sufi Mohd Mustapha, Noriznan Izzairi Noor Azhar, Muhamad Ashraf Abdullah, Muhammad Danial Firdaus Azmir, Muhammad Hasif Ismail, Muhammad Adib Iman Fuad Adi Sany and Mohamad Syazwan Musa.

They were charged with voluntarily causing hurt against the victim for the purpose of forcing the latter to admit to the alleged theft of a laptop at room 03-05, of the Jebat hostel building in UPNM, between 2.30am and 5.30am on May 21, 2017. — Bernama