Cradle Fund CEO was murdered, fire not cause of death - Prosecution

SHAH ALAM - The High Court here was told today that Cradle Fund chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan was murdered and the cause of his death was not due to the fire at his Mutiara Damansara home in 2018.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah said the fire incident was not accidental but in fact an act of arson.

"The scene of the incident was also a staged crime scene created by the accused (Samirah Muzaffar) and the two other teenagers jointly charged with her,” he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution's case before judge Datuk Ab Karim Ab Rahman.

Samirah, 47, and two teenagers, now aged 19 and 16, as well as an Indonesian woman still at large, Eka Wahyu Lestari, are all facing a charge of murdering Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara, between 11.30 pm on June 13, 2018, and 4 am the following day.

Mohd Asnawi said it was an act of arson because there had been ‘irregular patterns’ on the room wall as well as three fire origin points.

Referring to the testimony of the 15th prosecution witness, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) fire investigations officer Abdul Halim Zulkefeli, Mohd Asnawi said the three areas in which the fire had started were the head of the deceased, on top of the bed where the Blackberry S2 handphone was found and the wall area on the right corner of the bed.

"Only these areas were burnt while in the other spots, there were only soot and melting marks. SP15’s (Abdul Halim) investigations also found the burns on the head of the deceased and the one on the bed differed from each other.

"SP15 had also testified that the pattern of the flame marks on the wall was different than the rest, and due to this, he had taken a sample on the wall which was found to have had traces of petrol after analysed by JBPM science officer Aznor Sheda Samsudin (SP14),” he said.

Mohd Asnawi said Nazrin’s Blackberry S2 had not exploded or was ‘overcharged’.

"Although handphones can cause explosions, Selangor Contingent Police headquarters weapons duty officer ASP Mohd Sa'ad Mat Nasib (SP35) testified that Nazrin’s handphones had not been affected and that the battery will only force the casing out.

Mohd Asnawi said there was no possibility that the explosion was from the powerbank.

"This is because SP35 had stated that if the 'powerbank' had exploded, its frame would have been at the scene, however in this case, SP15 did not find any form of the powerbank at the scene. So, there is no possibility that what exploded was a powerbank, "he said.

He said the cause of death was due to injuries and not from a fire, as Kuala Lumpur Hospital forensic consultant Dr Siew Sheue Feng (SP46) had testified that the post-mortem had found injuries to Nazrin’s head.

"The injury that led to death was the one on the left side of the deceased's head, namely a penetrating wound measuring 5x4 cm at the left parietal region. Based on the evidence given by SP46, it was a fatal injury (due to a blunt object) that caused severe brain injury and bleeding,” he said.

Submissions before Judge Datuk Ab Karim Rahman continue on April 13. - BERNAMA