IPOH - The High Court today reprimanded the observing counsel representing the family of 17-year-old Muhammad Zaharif Affendi Muhd Zamrie for failing to attend the trial of Mohd Nazri Abdul Razak, who is charged with the student’s murder.
High Court Judge Datuk Bhupindar Singh Gucharan Singh Preet admonished the observing lawyer, Syaheera Rosli from Messrs. Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak, who attended the proceedings on its 15th day today.
Syaheera stated that she had only recently received the case file and would apologise to the victim's family. She also assured the court that she would be present at the upcoming hearings.
Judge: Does the family know that you were not present in court?
Syaheera: I was not informed by the... (interrupted by the judge).
Judge: You cannot come to court on a whim. If you intend to attend, you should come on the designated hearing dates.
Syaheera: Understood, Your Honour. I apologise, Your Honour.
Judge: You come and go as you please, then disappear altogether. I don't know what you are observing if you don't attend court. Are you just reading what the media reports online? What else are you observing? Do you know how many witnesses have given testimony? Do you even know what case this is?
Syaheera: 302.
Judge Bhupindar stated that the court must admonish and remind each individual instructed by any party to fulfill their responsibilities.
He also stated that the observing counsel need not apologise to him, but should apologise to those who appointed them to carry out the responsibility.
Deputy public prosecutors Afzainizam Abdul Aziz, Nasrul Hadi Abdul Ghani, V. Suloshani, and Low Qin appeared for the prosecution, while Mohd Nazri was represented by lawyers M. Athimulan, Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, and Aiman Hakim Kamaruzzaman.
Mohd Nazri, 45, a senior police officer with the rank of DSP, is accused of murdering Muhammad Zaharif Affendi at Jalan Taman Jati 1, near Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jati between 11.45am and 12.32pm on Dec 15, 2023.
He is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, and a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
The proceedings will resume this afternoon. - BERNAMA