Vocational College Murder: Possibility Of More Than One Individual Causing The 107 Injuries

TAWAU, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- A forensic pathologist specialist told the High Court here that there is a possibility that more than one individual caused the 107 injuries found on Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, a student from the Lahad Datu Vocational College, who was found dead last March.

The fifth prosecution witness, Dr Dzureena Abdul Multalib, 39, said the observation was based on the severity of the injuries, especially the bruises exhibit similar discoloration suggesting they were likely inflicted within approximately the same time frame, ranging from a few minutes to a few hours prior to death.

“It could have been done by two, three, four, 10 or even more people," she said in response to defence lawyer Datuk Ram Singh during the trial before Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol today.

Thirteen students, aged between 16 and 19, are charged with jointly murdering Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat, 17, in rooms 7 Resak and 5 Belian at the Lahad Datu Vocational College between 9pm on March 21 and 7.38am on March 22.

The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, carries the death penalty or imprisonment for 30 to 40 years and not more than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction

In response to a question by Ram regarding the injuries on the deceased's scrotum and face, Dr Dzureena said it was caused by blunt trauma to the genital and face areas; such as kicking, punching, or impact with a blunt object; or a combination of these actions.

Defence counsel Vivian Thien asked whether the victim could have been saved if he was brought for treatment at 4am, which is within 3 or 4 hours after the injuries were inflicted, Dr Dzureena said there was a possibility the victim could have survived if taken to the hospital immediately and received aggresive treatment, inlcuding resuscitation.

When Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif asked about the aggresive treatment, Dr Dzureena explained that supportive treatment involves multiple specialties including emergency physicians, medical physicians and renal specialist.

The prosecution is led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Nisla, Ng Juhn Tao and Nur Batrisyia Mohd Khusri while eight of the 13 accused are represented by lawyers Ram, Kamaruddin Mohmad Chinki and Chen Wen Jye, while the remaining five are defended by Mohamad Zairi Zainal Abidin, Abdul Ghani Zelika, Vivian, Jhassany P Kang and Kusni Ambotuwo.

The trial continues this evening.

-- BERNAMA