TAWAU: The trial of 13 former Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu students acussed of murdering one of their former classmates started today.
Deputy public prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif said the 13 acussed allegedly assaulted Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan to death between 9pm on March 21 and 7.35am on March 22 in Dormitory Room 7 Resak and Dormitory Room 5 Belian of the college.
All the accused were students at the time.
"The prosecution will call witnesses, including eyewitnesses, police officers, experts, and circumstantial evidence, to establish this case beyond a reasonable doubt," she said during her opening statement on the first day of the trial before judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol at 2pm.
The autopsy conducted on March 23, 2024 confirmed that Nazmie Aizzat died of "chest and soft tissue injuries due to blunt force trauma".
Today's proceedings saw only one prosecution witness, Ahmad Fakhrurazi Hamzah, the director of the college, take the stand.
Earlier, Duncan, the prosecution and defence counsels visited the college at the prosecution's request.
On Aug 13, 13 students aged 16 to 19 were charged at the High Court here with jointly murdering Nazmie Aizzat.
They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code read with Section 34.
They face the death penalty, or 30 to 40 years' jail and up to 12 strokes of the rotan.
Besides Nur Nisla , the prosecution includes DPPs Ng Juhn Tao and Nur Batrisyia Mohd Khusri.
Nine of the accused are represented by Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki, Datuk Ram Singh and Chen Wen Jye.
The remaining four defendants have separate representation.
About 6.50am on March 22, the victim was found dead in a dormitory with injuries and bruises on the body.