Two teens plead not guilty to murdering 23 students, teachers at tahfiz school

KUALA LUMPUR: Two 16year- old boys were charged at the High Court here yesterday with murdering 21 students and two teachers of Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school here in September last year.

The duo, clad in white pants and t- shirt, however, pleaded not guilty after the 23 charges were read one by one to them by the court interpreter before Justice Datuk Azman Abdullah.

They were charged together with murdering and causing the death of 23 occupants of the tahfiz school’s hostel located in Jalan Keramat Hujung, Kampung Datuk Keramat, here between 4.15 am and 6.45 am on Sept 14, 2017.

The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, provides for a mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

However, Section 97(1) of the Child Act 2001 states that a child under the age of 18 who is convicted of murder will not face the death sentence.

Section 94 of the Act provides a child convicted of murder could be ordered by the court to be detained at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Earlier, Justice Azman reminded members of the media covering the trial not to disclose the identity and personal information of the two accused as they were juvenile delinquents.

Kuala Lumpur prosecution director Othman Abdullah and deputy public prosecutor Nurakmal Farhan Aziz prosecuted, while the two teenagers were represented by counsel Michelle Ng.

Lawyer Ariff Azami Hussein held a watching brief for the tahfiz school and some of the victims’ families. — Bernama