Cradle Fund CEO murder trial: Samirah, two teens to know fate on May 30

SHAH ALAM - The decision on whether Samirah Muzaffar and two teenagers, who are charged with murdering Cradle Fund chief executive Officer (CEO) Nazrin Hassan, will be freed or ordered to defend themselves will be known on May 30.

High Court judge Datuk Ab Karim Ab Rahman fixed the date after hearing submissions from both parties at the end of the prosecution case.

After thanking all parties for their submissions, during a four-day hearing which began on April 7, which lasted for four days, Judge Ab Karim said the Court set May 30 at 2.30 pm to decide the matter.

The prosecution team comprised deputy public prosecutors Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah, Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail and Nur Sabrina Abu Bakar, while the defence team consisted of lawyers Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Rahmat Hazlan.

Earlier, Tengku Intan Suraya, in her submission, argued that the 'Stage Crime Scene' theory stated by the Forensic Pathology Officer at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Dr Prashant Sanberker, who is the 50th prosecution witness (SP50), was justified as it was supported by explanations and findings during the visit at the scene.

"The testimony by SP50 on the theory is based on the discovery of two different patterns or post mortem hypotasis, at the back body of the deceased. This pattern takes up to six hours to exist and from the next six to 12 hours to become fixed.

"If the body is removed, the second shape will follow the first shape and if the deceased died on the floor, as found, there will only be one shape on the back of the deceased's body," she said, adding that apart from observing the pictures provided, SP50 also visited the scene on Oct 4, 2018.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Shafee submitted that the prosecution consistently made a bare assertion that it was a ‘staged crime scene’, but failed to define or elaborate what they meant by ‘staged’ and for what it encompassed.

"For example, is the prosecution claiming that the staging was for an ‘accident’ or ‘phone explosion’. With this ambiguity itself, the prosecution’s submission about ‘staged crime scene’ ought to be dismissed,” he said.

Muhammad Shafee said Samirah was asked by police officer Sergeant Abdul Rahim Taha ( SP33), whether she heard an explosion, and she said ‘No’.

"If Samirah wanted to cover up a murder with an accident or ‘stage’ an accident, Samirah would have said ‘Yes’ that there was an explosion. In fact, on June 15, 2018, news about the fire and phone exploding was already out in public,” he said.

The prosecution closed its case last Feb 14 after calling 57 witnesses, including the deceased’s older siblings, brothers Dr Abdul Aziz and Dr Malek Reedzwan. and sister iChe Elainee; Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Edwin Galan Anak Teruki; Pathology Forensic Officer from Kuala Lumpur Hospital Dr Siew Sheue Feng; Dr Prashant Sanberker and a security guard at the deceased’s residence, Raju Kumar Pandit.

Hearing of the case began on Sept 6, 2019.

On March 12, 2019, Samirah Muzaffar, 47, and the two teenagers, now aged 19 and 16, as well as an Indonesian woman, Eka Wahyu Lestari, who is still at large, are all charged with murdering Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara, between 11.30 pm on June 13, 2018, and 4am the following day. - BERNAMA