Lahad Datu student murder: 13 teenagers plead not guilty

The charge against the teenagers, aged between 16 and 19, was read before Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol, who then set the trial for Nov 18 to 22 and Nov 25 to 29.

The students are accused of jointly murdering Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, 17, at Dormitory Room 7 Resak and 5 Belian at Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu between 9 pm on March 21 and 7.38 am the following day.

The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and not more than 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.

On March 22, Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat was found dead in a dormitory room at the college, with multiple injuries and bruises on his body.

Deputy public prosecutors Mohd Suhaimi Suryana and Hurman Hussain appeared for the prosecution.

Lawyers Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki, Datuk Ram Singh and Chen Wen Jye represented nine of the accused, while lawyer Abdul Ghani Zelika represented one. The remaining three accused were unrepresented.

Mohd Suhaimi said the prosecution would call 10 to 12 witnesses to testify during the trial.

On April 2, the 13 students were charged at the Lahad Datu Magistrate's Court with the murder of Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat and the case was transferred to the High Court today.

On June 13, the same High Court denied the bail application of seven teenagers pending the next case hearing.

Judge Duncan ruled that there were no special circumstances justifying the granting of bail in this case.

He said the application was premature since the case had not been transferred to the High Court yet, where the applicants would have the opportunity to file their application.

-- BERNAMA