TAWAU: The 13 Lahad Datu Vocational College (KVLD) students accused of murdering a Biotechnology student will know their fate on June 11.
Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol set the date on Wednesday when the case was brought up for clarifications on submissions from both parties.
During the proceedings, both parties had filed their submissions but there were several submissions just received. The court gave both parties until May 21 to file their submissions and reply.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});On Feb 28 this year, the 13 were ordered to enter defence after the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them at the prosecution stage in which the prosecution had called 25 witnesses and 200 exhibits had been tendered to the court.
The defence took seven days starting from March 10 this year by calling 18 witnesses, including the 13.
The witnesses included the Director of KVLD, the college warden, the victim's mother, a paramedic, a forensic pathologist, a chemical officer, four police officers and 13 sudent witnesses, comprising 10 minors and three others aged 19 and 20.
The 13 students, aged between 16 and 19, were accused of murdering one Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, 17, at Lahad Datu Vocational College between 9pm on March 21, 2024 and 7.38am on March 22, 2024.
They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read with Section 34 of the same code.
Eight of the 13 teenagers are represented by counsel Kamarudin, Datuk Ram and Chen Wen Jye, while the remaining five are represented by counsel Abdul Ghani Zelika, including appointed counsel Vivian Thien, Jhesseny P. Kang, Kusni Ambotuwo, and Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin.
The prosecution team is led by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nur Nisla Abdul Latif, alongside DPP Ng Juhn Tao and DPP Batrisyia Mohd Khusri.
Meanwhile, the situation in the public gallery of the courtroom on Wednesday turned emotional as the families of the 13 students hugged each other while crying before all the accused were escorted out of the courtroom.