More than one person caused 107 injuries on vocational school student, says doctor

 

Thirteen students, aged 16 to 19, stand accused of killing Nazmie Aizzat Narul Azwan at the Lahad Datu Vocational College in March this year. (Bernama pic)

TAWAU: 

A forensic pathologist told the High Court here that there is a possibility that more than one person caused the 107 injuries found on Nazmie Aizzat Narul Azwan, a student from the Lahad Datu Vocational College, who was found dead last March.

The fifth prosecution witness, Dr Dzureena Abdul Multalib, 39, said the observation was based on the severity of the injuries, especially since the bruises exhibited similar discolouration suggesting they were likely inflicted within the same time frame, ranging from a few minutes to a few hours prior to death.

“It could have been done by two, three, four, 10 or even more people,” she said in response to defence lawyer Ram Singh during the trial before Justice Duncan Sikodol today.

Thirteen students, aged between 16 and 19, are charged with jointly murdering Nazmie, 17, in rooms 7 Resak and 5 Belian at the Lahad Datu Vocational College between 9pm on March 21 and 7.38am on March 22.

The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, carries the death penalty or imprisonment for 30 to 40 years and not more than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

In response to a question by Ram regarding the injuries on the deceased’s scrotum and face, Dzureena said it could have been caused by blunt trauma through kicking, punching or impact with a blunt object, or a combination of these actions.

Defence counsel Vivian Thien asked whether the victim could have been saved if he was brought for treatment at 4am, which is within three or four hours after the injuries were inflicted, Dzureena said there was a possibility the victim could have survived if taken to the hospital immediately and if he received aggressive treatment, including resuscitation.

When deputy public prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif asked for details about the aggressive treatment, Dzureena explained this would involve multiple specialties, including emergency physicians, medical physicians and renal specialists.

Besides Nur Nisla, the prosecution is handled by Ng Juhn Tao and Nur Batrisyia Khusri.

Eight of the 13 accused were represented by lawyers Ram, Kamaruddin Chinki and Chen Wen Jye. The remaining five were defended by Zairi Zainal Abidin, Abdul Ghani Zelika, Vivian, Jhassany P Kang and Kusni Ambotuwo.

The trial continues this evening. - FMT