13 teens in Sabah sentenced to jail for murdering schoolmate, one also gets caning
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The 13 teenagers were all sentenced to jail, with the oldest, a 19-year-old, also due to receive 12 strokes of the cane.
PHOTO: BERNAMA
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KOTA KINABALU – A Malaysian high court sentenced a 19-year-old former student of Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu to life imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane after being found guilty of murdering another student in March 2024.
The other 12 students involved, all of whom are below the age of 18, were also convicted and sentenced to be jailed at the pleasure of the Sabah governor until they are pardoned.
The sentences were delivered by Tawau High Court judge Duncan Sikodol on Aug 28.
On Aug 22, Justice Sikodol found all 13 accused guilty of murdering their hostel mate
He 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.
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 was repeated and prolonged, not spontaneous.
On March 22, 2024, the victim was found unconscious on the floor in a dormitory located in the vocational college at about 6.50am.
Eighteen witnesses were called to testify at the trial in November 2024. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
