13 teenagers in Sabah found guilty of murdering schoolmate in ‘prolonged, repeated attack’

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Justice Sikodol said that the medical evidence showed that the injuries were severe enough to be fatal.

PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES

KOTA KINABALU - Thirteen teenage students of Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu have been found guilty of murdering their college mate, in a case that has gripped Sabah since last year.

The boys, who were convicted of the murder of Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan, will only be sentenced on Aug 28, pending social reports from the Lahad Datu Social Welfare Department.

Tawau High Court judge Justice Duncan Sikodol, in convicting the boys on Aug 22, ruled that the prosecution had proven the cause beyond reasonable doubt. The boys aged between 16 and 19 were found guilty of murde­ring the victim between 9pm on March 21 and 7.38am on March 22, 2024.

In his judgment, Justice Sikodol said that the medical evidence showed that the injuries were severe enough to be fatal.

He said he had considered the defence team’s argument that the boys did not intend to kill but had only wanted to teach the victim a lesson when they thought he had stolen from one of them.

He said the defence team had also tried using the argument of provocation, but it was deemed “not applicable” by the court as the attack on Mohamad Nazmie Aizzat was repeated and prolonged, not spontaneous.

A total of 18 witnesses were called to testify throughout the trial in November last year.

The 13 students were first charged at the Lahad Datu Ma­­gistrate’s Court on April 2, 2024, before the