Cradle Fund CEO's body found with deep wound to his head, cop tells court

SHAH ALAM: Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan was found with a deep wound to his head, cuts on the left side of his face and a burn on his left shoulder, the High Court here heard on Friday (Sept 27).

Testifying in the murder trial of the 47-year-old Nazrin, Insp Anestassia Chin Fat said there was no cause for her to suspect that foul play was involved in his death.

Questioned by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah, Insp Anestassia said she saw Nazrin’s wife Samirah Muzaffar at the scene and asked what had happened.

"The victim’s wife appeared to be tensed-up and only answered in monosyllables. I did not want to disturb here as I felt she was grieving," said Insp Anestassia.

Insp Anestassia added that Samirah told her she did not know about the fire until a security guard from the gated residential area where Nazrin and his family lived, knocked on the door and informed her about it.

Insp Anestassia also told the court that she saw three of Samirah’s children – two toddlers and a teenager – at the scene when she went over to investigate after being informed there was a dead man there.

The 44-year-old Samirah, two teenagers aged 14 and 17 and Indonesian national Eka Wahyu Lestari, who is still at large, are accused of murdering Nazrin at a house in Mutiara Damansara, between 11.30pm on June 13,2018, and 4am on June 14,2018.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same code, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

The two boys were granted bail of RM50,000 with two sureties by the Shah Alam High Court in March, while the Federal Court allowed Samirah bail of RM500,000 with two sureties in May.

Under cross-examination, defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told Insp Anestassia that she did not have a good memory.

He told Insp Anestassia that it was Samirah who had actually told her that she was made aware of the fire by a neighbour as opposed to a security guard as the policewoman testified.

“I put it to you that your memory is not good," said Muhammad Shafee.

Insp Anestassia did not agree to the defence counsel’s contention and added she was certain that Samirah had told her it was the security guard that had informed her of the fire.

Last week, security guard Raju Kumar Pandit had testified that he had rushed to the house when a call came to the guardhouse that there was a fire in a room upstairs.

He had added that Samirah was standing in the house compound and crying when he arrived at the scene.

During questioning by Muhammad Shafee, Insp Anestassia also told the court that she could see blood around the body which could have come from the head wound.

The hearing will continue on Oct 2.- Star