Feb 6 D-Day for accused in college student’s murder
KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here fixed February 6 next year to deliver its ruling on a former security guard of the Siam Thai Bar accused of murdering a college student.
Justice Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad set the date after the prosecution closed its case yesterday in the trial of Mohd Azmin Lidin, 29.
The court also ordered the defence to make its submission by December 11 and for the prosecution’s reply to be filed three weeks later.
Deputy public prosecutor Gan Peng Kun had called 19 witnesses to testify against the accused, who was defended by counsel Dato’ Seri Rakhbir Singh, since the trial commenced on October 9.
The prosecution had called four eyewitnesses, three of whom were workers of the bar and the other was the deceased’s friend.
The accused had allegedly murdered 18-year-old Yaacob Nasran outside the bar between 4am and 4.30am on December 15, 2016.
He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death sentence by hanging, upon conviction.
Earlier, the final witness ASP Khairul Shah Peri, 36, testified that he did not agree to a question by the counsel during crossexamination as he had ordered the forensic team to analyse fingerprints on a samurai sword allegedly used by the accused but had failed as the surface of the sword was too rough and uneven.
Under recross-examination by Gan, the witness, who was the investigating officer of the case, also said that he agreed with the counsel that one of the accused’s friend did not state in her police report that she had witnessed the accused slashing the deceased but pointed out that based on investigation, there were other witnesses who saw the accused allegedly slashing the deceased.
Meanwhile, the same court also issued an arrest warrant against Amiruddin Bacho and Rahman Marsukisyam following an application by the prosecution to have the warrant of arrests on both men executed.
Counsel Mary Gomez held a watching brief for the deceased’s family.