Senior Malaysian police officer charged with murder in tragic hit-and-run case of 17-year-old

PERAK, MALAYSIA: A high-ranking police officer implicated in a fatal hit-and-run incident resulting in the death of a 17-year-old student has appeared at the Ipoh magistrate’s court on Monday (18 Dec) to answer charges of murder.

The tragic event unfolded last Friday at 12.30 pm when the victim, Muhammad Zaharif Affendi Muhd Zamrie, was heading home to Taman Chepor Sentosa from his school, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Jati in Meru.

An altercation with the suspect occurred during this time.

The 44-year-old deputy superintendent, assigned to the Kedah police contingent headquarters, reached the court complex around 9 am, arriving in a police vehicle, as reported by Malaysian media outlet the New Straits Times.

However, the police officer, Mohd Nazri Abdul Razak did not enter a plea after the charge was read before Magistrate S. Punitha, as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Despite the gravity of the charges, he appeared calm during the proceedings, with no family members present in the courtroom.

On Sunday, Attorney General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh announced in a statement that the suspect would face murder charges in the Magistrate’s Court under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

After a thorough examination of the investigation findings and statements within the investigation papers, the Attorney General’s Chambers determined there was sufficient evidence to proceed with a charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries severe penalties, including death or imprisonment for 30 to 40 years, along with a minimum of 12 strokes if found guilty.

 Alleged chase ends in tragic motorcycle collision

The tragic sequence of events allegedly began when the victim, riding a motorcycle, apparently provoked the suspect by revving the bike throttle and causing a disturbance.

Reportedly, the suspect, who was in a nearby car, pursued Zaharif for over a kilometer before colliding with the motorcycle from behind.

As a result of the impact, Zaharif was thrown from the motorcycle and dragged nearly five meters.

The victim, still attired in his school sports uniform, succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

A post-mortem examination conducted at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) revealed that the student’s cause of death was chest and abdomen injuries resulting from a road traffic crash.

The suspect was apprehended on the same day and subsequently held in custody for three days.

Perak police chief Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri confirmed that the police officer tested negative for drugs, according to the report by The Star.