SHAH ALAM: The widow of Cradle Fund chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan, Samirah Muzaffar, and two teenagers who were charged with murdering him have been acquitted of the charge.
High Court Judge Ab Karim Ab Rahman held, on Tuesday (June 21), that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the accused.
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In delivering his judgement, Justice Ab Karim outlined all the important evidence which had been presented during the trial and explained why some of it was permissible and others not.
It is not yet known if the prosecution will appeal.
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Judge Ab Karim had earlier fixed May 30 to deliver his decision but this was later postponed to Tuesday.
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.
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The prosecution closed its case on Feb 14 after calling 57 witnesses, including the deceased’s older siblings, brothers Dr Abdul Aziz and Dr Malek Reedzwan and sister Che Elainee; Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Edwin Galan Teruki; Hospital Kuala Lumpur pathology forensic officer Dr Siew Sheue Feng; and a security guard at Nazrin's residence, Raju Kumar Pandit.
Hearing of the case began on Sept 6, 2019.
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On March 12, 2019, Samirah, 47; the two teenagers who are now aged 19 and 16 years old; as well as Indonesian woman Eka Wahyu Lestari, who is still at large; were charged with murdering Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, between 11.30pm on June 13, 2018 and 4am the following day.