THE decision on whether Samirah Muzaffar and two teenagers, who are charged with murdering Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan, will be freed or ordered to defend themselves will be known on May 30.

High Court judge Ab Karim Ab Rahman fixed the date after hearing submissions from both parties at the end of a four-day hearing, which started on April 7.

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 comprised lawyers Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Rahmat Hazlan.

Tengku Intan Suraya, in her submission, argued that the “staged crime scene” theory stated by Universiti Malaya Medical Centre forensic pathology officer Dr Prashant Sanberker is justified as it is supported by explanations and findings during a visit to the crime scene.

“The 50th prosecution witness’ testimony on the theory is based on the discovery of two different patterns, or post-mortem hypostasis, at the deceased’s back. The first pattern takes up to six hours to exist and another six to 12 hours to become fixed.

“If the body is removed, the second shape will follow the first shape. If the deceased died on the floor, as found, there will be only one shape on the back of the body.”

Shafee said the prosecution consistently makes a bare assertion that it is a “staged crime scene”, but fails to define or elaborate what they mean by “staged” and what it encompasses.

Samirah was asked by a police officer on whether she heard an explosion, and she said “no”, he added.

“If Samirah wanted to cover up a murder with an accident or stage an accident, she would have said ‘yes, there was an explosion’. In fact, on June 15, 2018, news about the fire and phone exploding was already out in public.”

The prosecution closed its case on February 14 after calling 57 witnesses, including the deceased’s older siblings, Dr Abdul Aziz, Dr Malek Reedzwan and Che Elainee; Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Edwin Galan anak Teruki; and, security guard Raju Kumar Pandit.

Hearing of the case started on September 6, 2019.

On March 12, 2019, Samirah, 47, the two teenagers, now aged 16 and 19, and an Indonesian woman, Eka Wahyu Lestari, who is still at large, are all charged with murdering Samirah’s husband Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara between 11.30pm on June 13, 2018, and 4am the following day. – Bernama, April 22, 2022.