No ‘special treatment’ for senior officer facing murder charge, say cops

 

Azizi Mat Aris said there was stricter control by the police in court today as the case had drawn a lot of attention.

IPOH: Perak deputy police chief Azizi Mat Aris denied that special treatment was given to a senior police officer charged here today with killing 17-year-old schoolboy Zaharif Affendi Zamrie in a car chase.

According to Azizi, the charging of the police officer, Nazri Abdul Razak, at the Ipoh magistrates’ court today followed standard procedure.

He said, however, strict measures were needed as the case had gained widespread attention.

“From escorting (the accused), to bringing him to court and subsequently presenting him before the judge; that’s all standard procedure.

“We don’t consider this a high-profile case, but when it draws much attention, there needs to be stricter control (of the situation),” he told reporters at the residence of the late teenager in Chemor, Ipoh.

Azizi also said Nazri will be detained at the Taiping Prison while awaiting trial.

Meanwhile, Zaharif’s family requested the public to remove and stop sharing videos of the incident on social media.

Zaharif’s elder brother, Zarul Fitri, 29, said the sharing of the videos had affected the family emotionally.

“I appeal to all those who shared the video on social media of my brother when he was in distress, to please take it down,” he said.

Nazri, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) from the Kedah police contingent headquarters, simply nodded after the murder charge was read out before magistrate S Punitha in the magistrates’ court here this morning.

No plea was recorded as the case falls under the High Court’s jurisdiction. He will be formally charged and a plea will be recorded when the case is transferred to the High Court.

Nazri is charged, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, with killing Zaharif at Jalan Taman Jati 1 near SMK Jati in Meru between 12.05pm and 12.40pm on Dec 15.

The court set Feb 7 for case mention while waiting for the chemist’s report.

Nazri was arrested on Friday, hours after Zaharif was killed. It was reported that a car had rammed into his motorcycle after a 1km chase, causing him to fall off and be dragged for nearly 5m. - FMT