KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) student, cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who was allegedly murdered, was at the university’s library on the night a laptop was reportedly stolen, the High Court was told today.
The prosecution’s 20th witness, third year UPNM undergraduate S. Hari Krishna Rao, said he confronted Zulfarhan over the stolen laptop.
“I came back from an event that night and bumped into two of my roommates from room 406, and they told me they were heading to room 305 for a ‘certain matter’.
“After changing my clothes, I went to (room 305) and met Hairi (Muhammad Akmar Zuhairi Azmal) – the (owner of the missing) laptop – and he told me that he suspected Zulfarhan was the thief.
“We went to room 306 (Zulfarhan’s room), but he was asleep and we returned to room 305.
“However, Hairi went to Zulfarhan’s room again…,” he said during an examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Othman Abdullah.
Hari Krishna, who was a medical undergraduate, said Zulfarhan told him that he had been at the library (the night the laptop went missing), as he did not have internet access.
“Zulfarhan also denied that he went to room 410 (Hairi’s room) that night,” he added.
Q: Why were you questioning Zulfarhan?
A: Because he was the suspect.
Q: Who was with you when you were ‘investigating’ Zulfarhan?
A: Hairi and me.
Q: Why would you bother (being involved) with this incident?
A: Because (the laptop) belonged to my friend.
Hari Krishna said he saw Zulfarhan for the next three days, as he slept in his room for a period of time.
“He stayed in my room for several days and slept at my roommate’s bed,” he said, adding that he saw burn marks on Zulfarhan’s chest.
Hari Krishna said he did not communicate with Zulfarhan or asked him about the wounds as he wanted “to avoid trouble with the university.”
Q: Do you know why Zulfarhan stayed in your room?
A: I do not know.
Zulfarhan, a third year student, died on June 1 at 9pm at the Serdang Hospital, due to severe injuries suffered from alleged bullying.
Muhammad Akmar, together with four others – Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi and Mohamad Shobirin Sabri – are jointly charged with murdering Zulfarhan; while Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali is charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
All six face the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
The six and 13 other students, all aged 22, also pleaded not guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Zulfarhan with the intention of extracting a confession on the laptop’s theft.
The offences were allegedly committed at room 04-10 Jebat Hostel Block, UPNM, between 2.30am and 5.30am on May 21 and in the same room between 1.30am and 4.30am on May 22.
The accused were represented by Amer Hamzah, Datuk Ranjit Singh Dhillon, Zamri Idrus, Mohd Fadly Hashim, AG Kalidas, Datuk Hazizah Kassim, Datuk Seri M Ramachelvam and Azizul Shariman.
Zulfarhan was found with burn marks and bruises in an apartment in Serdang at about 8pm on June 1, and was pronounced dead at about 10pm at the Serdang Hospital.
The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Datuk Azman Abdullah.
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