TAWAU: A Lahad Datu Vocational College student testified in the High Court here today that he and other students tried to calm the second accused, who was venting his anger on Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, in a room on the night of March 21, the night Mohamad Nazmie was allegedly murdered.
Ahmad Jafnianiq Johari, 19, the 15th prosecution witness, said he also tried to calm the victim, who was shirtless and leaning against a cabinet, pleading for forgiveness from the second accused, who stood angrily in front of him.
He recounted that on that night, the victim sought help from him and other students during the incident in the 5 Belian dormitory room.
“We tried to separate and calm the second accused and the victim,” said the diploma student during the examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Juhn Tao at the trial before Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol.
Thirteen students, aged 16 to 19, are jointly accused of murdering Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat, 17, at the 7 Resak and 5 Belian dormitory rooms of Lahad Datu Vocational College between 9 pm on March 21 and 7:38 am on March 22.
The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34, carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years and up to 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Ahmad Jafnianiq also testified that he noticed bruises on the victim’s chest and a bleeding lip but did not know the cause of the injuries.
He said he retrieved a medical kit from the dorm warden’s room and handed it to the second accused outside the Exco Belian toilet, while the victim was inside. However, the accused prevented him from entering.
Meanwhile, the 14th prosecution witness, Muhamad Rezki @ Rekie Zainal, 20, testified that during the incident, he used his leg to block the victim from being further beaten by the first, ninth, and 11th accused, as well as other students, around midnight.
“The victim fell after being punched but got up again, only to be assaulted multiple times,” said the former diploma student at the college.
Muhamad Rezki agreed with a suggestion by lawyer Mohamad Zairi Zainal Abidin during cross-examination that he was afraid of being assaulted after the second accused stopped him from reporting the incident to the dorm warden.
During re-examination by Juhn Tao, he said the first accused also forbade him from lodging a report about the incident in the 5 Berlian dormitory room.
In addition to Juhn Tao, the prosecution team comprised deputy public prosecutors Nur Nisla Abd Latif and Batrisyia Mohd Khusri.
Eight of the 13 teenagers are represented by lawyers Datuk Ram Singh, Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki, and Chen Wen Jye, while the other five are represented by Mohamad Zairi, Abdul Ghani Zelika, Vivian Thien, Jhesseny P Kang, and Kusni Ambotuwo.
The trial continues today.
