13 teenagers in Sabah found guilty of murdering schoolmate in ‘prolonged, repeated attack’
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The 13 boys will be sentenced on Aug 28, pending social reports from the Lahad Datu Social Welfare Department.
PHOTO: BERNAMA
Follow topic:
KOTA KINABALU - Thirteen teenage students of Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu have been found guilty of murdering their schoolmate, in a case that has gripped Sabah since 2024.
On Aug 22, the boys were convicted of the murder of Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan in March 2024. They will be sentenced on Aug 28, pending social reports from the Lahad Datu Social Welfare Department.
Tawau High Court judge Duncan Sikodol ruled that the prosecution had proven the cause beyond reasonable doubt – the medical evidence showed that the victim’s injuries were severe enough to be fatal.
The boys aged between 16 and 19 were found guilty of murdering the victim between 9pm on March 21, 2024, and 7.38am on March 22, 2024. They were charged at the Lahad Datu Magistrate’s Court on April 2, 2024, before the case was transferred to the High Court on Aug 13, 2024.
Justice Sikodol said he had considered the defence team’s argument that the boys did not intend to kill but had only wanted to teach the victim a lesson when they thought he had stolen from one of them.
He also said the defence team’s argument of provocation was deemed “not applicable” by the court as the attack on Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat was repeated and prolonged, not spontaneous.
A total of 18 witnesses were called to testify at the trial in November 2024. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
