IPOH: The senior police officer who was accused of murdering a secondary school student in Dec 2023 was charged despite there being no supporting reports from several agencies, the High Court here heard.
When cross-examined by defence lawyer Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, Ipoh police criminal investigation department senior investigating officer Asst Supt Chua Sze Yuan agreed that the reports from the Chemistry Department, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the mortuary were not ready when Deputy Supt Mohd Nazri Abdul Razak was charged for murder on Dec 18, 2023.
To a question on whether the charge against DSP Mohd Nazri was made with haste due to the incident having gone viral on social media, ASP Chua disagreed.
Mior Faridalathrash: Do you agree that the accused was charged exactly at 9am in court?
ASP Chua: I am uncertain.
MF: On the day the accused was charged, the situation at the court was tense due to the presence of the victim's family members and supporters?
ASP Chua: Agree.
MF: There was also tight security at the court premises?
ASP Chua: Agree.
MF: The incident occurred on Dec 15, 2023, and the instruction (to press charges) was received on the 17th, do you agree that because the case has gone viral on social media, the prosecution called for the case to be charged immediately?
ASP Chua: I disagree.
ASP Chua also disagreed when asked whether he was not directly involved in the investigation under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act on Dec 15.
When asked to explain, he said he had been requested to assist in the investigation.
When cross-examined by M. Athimulan earlier, ASP Chua said he had only taken the statements from four witnesses.
He said there had been a total of 20 statements recorded by the police, with 15 of them having witnessed the incident.
"I did not take all the statements. I only recorded four," he said, adding that a few other policemen from his team took down statements from the other witnesses.
When asked whether it was his task to make the incident a murder case for the prosecution, ASP Chua disagreed.
He concurred that the investigation was done independently and neutrally.
DSP Mohd Nazri is accused of murdering Muhammad Zaharif Affendi Muhd Zamrie at the intersection of Jalan Taman Jati/Jalan Pekeliling Meru Indah near SMK Jati, between 12.05pm and 12.40pm on Dec 15, 2023.
The case is being heard in the High Court here before Justice Datuk Bhupindar Singh Gurcharan Singh Preet.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz prosecuted, meanwhile, led the prosecution team comprising Nasrul Hadi Abdul Ghani and Low Qin Hui.
Lawyer Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid was watching brief on behalf of the victim's family.
The trial continues Friday (Jan 10).
