13 vocational college students jailed for murder of peer

TAWAU - The High Court here today sentenced 13 male students of Lahad Datu Vocational College to prison for the murder of fellow student Mohammad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, 17, last year.

Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol ruled that 12 child offenders be detained in prison at the pleasure of the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri in accordance with Section 97(2)(b) of the Child Act 2001, while one young offender was sentenced to 30 years’ jail with 12 strokes of the cane.

The judge directed all the teenagers to serve the sentence from the date of arrest on March 22 last year. The young offender was 19 at the time of the incident, while the other 12 boys were aged 16 or 17.

In his judgment, Duncan said the prosecution urged the court to impose the death penalty for the young offender. However, he was of the view that the young offender ought to be afforded an opportunity to reform and rebuild his life into that of a useful citizen.

"The sentence imposed stands as both punishment and a solemn warning where the courts act firmly and such cruelty will not be tolerated,” he said.

Duncan further said that bullying, especially in schools, has long existed, but back then it did not cost lives, unlike the current situation.

"This case is a painful reminder that bullying is never a trivial matter; it destroys lives, robs children of their future and shatters the hopes of parents.

"Parents send their children to school in the hope of education and a better future. Instead, some return home broken, and some never return at all. This must end. No child should feel unsafe in school or hostel, and no family should suffer such a tragedy," he added.

Last Friday, the judge found the 13 students, who were jointly charged with murdering Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat, guilty of the offence, and fixed today for the sentencing.

On Feb 28, Duncan ordered all of them to enter their defence on the charge of murdering Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat in the dormitory rooms 7 Resak and 5 Belian at the Lahad Datu Vocational College, between 9 pm on March 21 and 7.38 am on March 22, 2024.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which carries the death penalty, or up to 40 years' imprisonment and not more than 12 strokes of the cane, if convicted.

The defence proceedings began on March 10, with 18 witnesses, including all 13 accused, called to testify.

The prosecution had opened its case on Nov 19 last year, calling 25 witnesses, including students and teachers from the vocational college.

The prosecution team comprised Deputy Public Prosecutors Nur Nisla Abdul Latif, Ng Juhn Tao and Batrisyia Mohd Khusri.

Eight of the 13 teenagers were represented by lawyers Datuk Ram Singh, Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki and Chen Wen Jye, while the other five were represented by lawyers Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin, Abdul Ghani Zelika, Vivian Thien, Jhesseny P Kang and Kusni Ambotuwo. - BERNAMA