Cradle Fund: "I was told fragments of phone explosion had hit victim" - Witness

The 28th prosecution witness in the murder of Cradle Fund chief executive officer (CEO) Nazrin Hassan said he was told that the fire in the victim's bedroom was caused by a mobile phone explosion and the explosion fragments had hit him.

Nazrin's former personal driver, Muhammad Nabil Faqih, 28, told the High Court here today it was his employer's stepson who had informed him of the matter when they met on the day of the incident.

Muhammad Nabil said he knew Nazrin had died when his employer's secretary, Anisa, contacted him on June 14, 2018 and on hearing the news he had rushed to the victim's house with his wife.

On June 14 (2018), I was given the day off (by Nazrin). I received a call (from Anisa) informing that Nazrin had passed away. When asked why, I was told there was a fire in his house.

"When I got to his (Nazrin) house, I met his stepson and asked how the fire had occurred. He said the mobile phone exploded and fragments from the blast had hit him on the back," he said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah.

Earlier, Mohd Asnawi asked Muhammad Nabil of his whereabouts on June 14, 2018 and how he knew his employer had died.

When asked what he understood by 'on the back' as told by Nazrin's stepson, Muhammad Nabil, however, could not explain as he failed to remember the details.

"I can't remember much except that as I was leaving, Nazrin's stepson said, Uncle Nazrin may have been attacked or hit by someone as there is blood on his back, while pointing to the back of his head," he said.

Mohd Asnawi: He (Nazrin's stepson) said someone could have done it . Why did he say that? You didn't ask?

Muhammad Nabil : I didn't.

Mohd Asnawi : What was your reaction on hearing this?

Muhammad Nabil : For as long as I have known the stepson, he loves telling stories like children do, and I never took them seriously. He may have seen it from afar and thought so.

Mohd Asnawi: You know he talks a lot but you didn't ask him further?

Muhammad Nabil : No, I just listened.

Nazrin's widow, Samirah Muzaffar, 45, a former senior executive at the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia, and two boys, aged 17 and 14, as well as an Indonesian woman, Eka Wahyu Lestari, who is still at large, were charged with murdering Nazrin at a house in Mutiara Damansara, between 11.30 pm on June 13, 2018 and 4 am the following day.

The hearing before judge Datuk Ab Karim Ab Rahman continues on Sept 25.

-- BERNAMA