Wan Ahmad Faris: Negligence Suit Over Death Set For Trial Next Year

KOTA BHARU, April 14 (Bernama) --  A negligence lawsuit filed by the family of former tahfiz student, Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman, who was found dead in a hostel toilet in 2013, will proceed to full trial at the High Court here.

Judge Mohd Rosli Yusoff dismissed an application by the government, the police and eight other defendants to strike out the suit, setting trial dates for April 5 to 7, 2027, with case management fixed for May 18 this year.

Lawyer Tengku Shazuan Tengku Sarifuddin, representing the late teenager’s family, said the plaintiffs' claim centres on the defendants' alleged negligence in investigating their son's death.

"The court found that this is not a case that is plain and obvious to be summarily struck out," he told reporters outside the Kota Bharu Court Complex today.

The court also took into account that the investigation remained active several years after the incident, he added.

"This includes the inquest proceedings that began in March 2016, as well as investigative developments continuing until 2018.

“Therefore, the court found it unreasonable to deem the plaintiffs' claim as time-barred if based solely on the December 2013 incident date," he said. The family filed the lawsuit in July last year.

Previously, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that the Royal Malaysia Police would reopen the investigation into the death of Wan Ahmad Faris, who is believed to have been killed at the tahfiz school in December 2013.

He said police had no objection to doing so, as the 2013 investigation paper was complete.

The Form Four student was found hanging in the toilet of Maahad Tahfiz Sains Nurul Aman in Kok Lanas. 

A forensic expert who conducted a post-mortem confirmed the case as a sudden death with no criminal element.

However, in June 2016, the Coroner's Court ruled that the cause of death was homicide at the hands of an unidentified individual.

-- BERNAMA