KUALA LUMPUR: Thirteen students claimed trial at the magistrate’s court today to the charge of voluntarily causing hurt to 21-year-old Malaysia National Defence University (UPNM) naval cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain with the intention of extorting a confession for the theft of a laptop.
The 13 charged were Mohd Hafiz Faizal Ismail, 21; Mohamad Lukhmanul Hakim Mohd Zain, 20; Ahmad Shafwan Berdal, 20, Muhammad Amirul Ashraf Mala, 20; Louman Hakim Samsuri Agus, 21; Muhammad Sufi Mohd Mustapha, 21; Noriznan Izzairi Noor Azhar, 21; Muhamad Ashraf Abdullah, 21; Muhammad Danial Firdaus Azmir 20; Muhammad Akmal Akif Alias, 20; Muhammad Adib Iman Fuad Adi Sany, 21; Mohd Hafiz Faizal Ismail, 20 and Mohamad Syazwan Musa, 20.
They are alleged to have committed the offences in two rooms at Jebat Hostel, UPNM, Kem Perdana, in Sungai Besi, between 1.30am and 5.30am on May 21 and May 22.
Deputy public prosecutor Nordin Ismail requested the court to impose bail of RM25,000 to each of the 13 accused.
Counsel Mohd Fadhly Hashim who represented the 13, told the court that the students came from humble backgrounds and that their parents had other siblings to support.
Magistrate Siti Radziah Kamarudin set bail at RM7,000 with one surety each and fixed July 17 for case mention and document submission.
Earlier in the same court, five university students were charged with the murder of 21-year-old Zulfarhan and another student was charged with abetting the five.
Zulfarhan was a third year student at UPNM. He died on June 1 at 9pm at the Serdang Hospital, allegedly due to bullying.
According to reports, Zulfarhan was brought to the hospital with severe injuries, including burns on his body, believed to be from having a steam iron pressed onto his chest, hands and feet.
Meanwhile, 13 other students who were also allegedly involved in the death of Zulfarhan have been released a court bond and would be called as witnesses.