PUTRAJAYA, July 23 — The parents of Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain wept and performed the 'sujud syukur' (prostration of gratitude) after the Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence imposed on six former fellow students for his murder seven years ago.
Zulkarnain Idros, 60, and Hawa Osman, 61, speaking to the press after today's proceedings, said with the verdict, justice has finally been served for their son.
"We are grateful because Allah SWT has granted my wife's and my prayers that this case would result in the death penalty.
"I also want to express my gratitude to the Malaysian public who have followed the developments in this case and to the prosecution for proving the intent to kill,” said Zulkarnain.
An emotional Hawa also showed a passport-sized photo of Zulfarhan and the last handkerchief he used to the press.
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Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, 21, died at the Serdang Hospital on May 21, 2017, after suffering after extensive physical torture at the hands of fellow cadets.[/caption]
The panel of three judges, comprising Justice Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail, Mohamed Zaini Mazlan and Datuk Azmi Ariffin, upheld the death sentence for all six accused after allowing the prosecution's appeal to reinstate a charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code and impose the death penalty.
The six former students are Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri, and Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali.
In 2021, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found all six guilty of causing injuries to Zulfarhan with the intention of causing death under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, which carries a punishment of imprisonment up to 30 years and a fine if the act was committed with intent to cause death.
They were accused of committing the act in a room at Jebat Hostel, UPNM, between 4.45am and 5.45am on May 22, 2017. Zulfarhan died at Hospital Serdang on June 1, 2017.
Meanwhile, the panel of three judges set aside the three-year prison sentences for another 12 former university students for injuring Zulfarhan and replaced them (sentences) with four-year prison terms.
These former students are Mohd Hafiz Fauzan Ismail, Mohamad Lukhmanul Hakim Mohd Zain, Ahmad Shafwan Berdal, Muhammad Amirul Asraff Mala, Luqman Hakim Shamsuri Agus, Muhammad Sufi Mohd Mustapha, Noriznan Izzairi Noor Azhar, Muhamad Ashraf Abdullah, Muhammad Danial Firdaus Azmir, Muhammad Hasif Ismail, Muhammad Adib Iman Fuad Ady Sani, and Mohamad Syazwan Musa.
All of them, now aged 28, were accused of committing the act in two rooms at Jebat Hostel, UPNM, between May 21 and May 22, 2017.
— Bernama
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Hawa Osman, 61, holds up a photograph of her late son Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, after the Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence imposed on six former fellow students for his 2017 murder, at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, on July 23, 2024. — Picture by BERNAMA[/caption]
