PUTRAJAYA, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- The mother of a navy cadet, the late Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, is relieved by the Federal Court's decision and prepared to forgive the six former students of the National Defense University of Malaysia (UPNM).
Hawa Osman, 62, said even if her son will not come back to life, she is ready to forgive all the men. Meanwhile, the deceased's father, Zulkarnain Idros, 61, said he needed time to accept the decision.
"This wound has healed but the scar is still there," he told the media after the decision of the case.
On July 23 last year, the Court of Appeal sentenced the six former UPNM students to be hanged to death for killing Zulfarhan, after allowing the prosecution's cross-appeal to reinstate the initial murder charge according to Section 302 of the Penal Code that they faced before.
The six former claimants are Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri and Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali.
Previously, Muhammad Akmal, Muhammad Azamuddin, Muhammad Najib, Muhammad Afif and Mohamad Shobirin faced the charge of killing Zulfarhan under Section 302 of the Penal Code which provides for the mandatory death penalty if convicted while Abdoul Hakeem was charged with conspiracy to kill under Section 109 of the same code which carries a similar penalty.
The Federal Court today set aside the death sentence and upheld the 18-year prison sentence for causing Zulfarhan's death without intent.
A three-judge panel led by Chief Justice of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, who sat with Federal Court Judges Datuk Nordin Hassan and Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, decided this after allowing the appeal of all the men to set aside the conviction and death sentence handed down by the Appeals Court.
On Nov 2, 2021, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced all six men to 18 years in prison after finding them guilty under Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code for causing the death of Zulfarhan without intending to kill him.
The former students, who are now 29 years old, were alleged to have committed the offence in a room in the Asrama Jebat accommodation block, UPNM between 4.45 am and 5.45 am on May 22, 2017.
Zulfarhan died at Serdang Hospital on June 1, 2017.
-- BERNAMA
