By Dawn Chan | New Straits Times
Following their successful appeal to have the conviction and death sentence of six former National Defence University students set aside, their lawyers said that no one emerged victorious from the case.
“Nobody won in this case. Zulfarhan died. The six have lost their future, as they have been sentenced to 18 years in prison,” said lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, who represented Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal and Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi.
“We extend our condolences to Zulfarhan’s family. We hope the Federal Court’s decision will bring closure to this unfortunate episode,” he said.
Earlier, Akmal, Azamuddin, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri, and Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali, all aged 29, avoided the death penalty when the Federal Court upheld the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s 18-year jail term for causing the death of Zulfarhan, a navy cadet officer.
A panel of judges, chaired by Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, restored the High Court’s 2021 decision, which had found the six guilty under section 304(a) of the Penal Code for causing Zulfarhan’s death without intent to kill him eight years ago.
Lawyers Datuk Hisham Teh Poh Teik and Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam, representing Najib and Afif, said that the sextet could be released in four years due to prison regulations allowing one-third remission for good behaviour.
Ramachelvam said that the group would serve 12 of the 18 years starting from their arrest on June 1, 2017, having already spent eight years in prison.
“They will be out in four years, which I think is fair. They were young men when the incident occurred,” he said.
“Afif regrets what happened. It was not intentional, and it was tragic that Zulfarhan died.
“Afif has asked for forgiveness from Zulfarhan’s family and hopes to start anew and contribute positively to society upon his release,” he added.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/02/1181874/no-winners-zulfarhan-case-says-defence-lawyers
