Four sent to jail for causing friend’s death

KUALA LUMPUR: Four friends were sentenced to eight years and six months’ jail each by the High Court here yesterday after they pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of causing the death of their housemate last year.

Justice Datuk Mohd Azman Husin ordered the sentence on Sherill Clarissa Razif, 24; Ellina Mahili, 25, Huzaifah Kamal, 24, and Raja Nur Bahiah Raja Kamarulzaman, 24, to be served from the date of their arrest.

Sherill Clarissa, Ellina and Huzaifah were arrested on Feb 3, 2012, while Raja Nur Bahiah on Feb 9 last year.

They were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder of housemate Nor Shahirah Hassan, 26, at Block 3, No 3-7-7, Genting Court Condo, Jalan Genting Klang, Setapak here between midnight and 5am on Feb 3 last year.

The four friends were initially charged with murder, which carried the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Earlier, questioned by Mohd Azman what caused the incident, Sherill Clarissa said the victim had badmouthed her mother, while Ellina, who has a 10-monthold child, said the victim owed her RM2,000.

Huzaifah told the court that the victim lied to him often, while Raja Nur Bahiah, who has a four-month- old child, said she had wanted to help the victim, but decided against it when informed that she also said bad things about her.

According to the facts of the case, the four of them had undressed the victim, poured boiling water on her face and body and also kicked and hit her before ordering her to go into a room to get a piece of cloth to wipe the floor.

When the four friends checked the room later on, they found the victim not there and a window there slightly open.

They saw the victim, who was still naked, sprawled at the bottom of the building.

Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar, while Sherill Clarissa, Ellina, Huzaifah and Raja Nur Bahiah were represented by lawyers Joshua Kevin, Datuk Sallehuddin Saidin, Mohd Radzlan Jalaludin and Hasshahari Johari Mawi, respectively. — Bernama