Cradle Fund CEO murder: AGC appeals acquittals to apex court

In upholding a 2022 High Court ruling, the appeals court said the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Samirah Muzaffar and the two teenagers.

PUTRAJAYA: The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has filed an appeal to challenge the acquittal of Samirah Muzaffar and two teenagers over the murder of then Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan six years ago.

In its notice of appeal dated Feb 13, the AGC said it was appealing against the Court of Appeal’s decision on Feb 8 to uphold the trio’s acquittal.

The three defendants – plus Indonesian woman, Eka Wahyu Lestari, who was tried in absentia – were accused of murdering Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara between 11.30pm on June 13, 2018, and 4am the following day.

In upholding a 2022 High Court ruling, the appeals court said the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Samirah and the boys, who are now 22 and 19 years old.

The Court of Appeal also found that the prosecution had failed in its attempt to link the alleged murder to the trio and the maid based on the “last seen” theory.

It added that the prosecution’s case was flawed as it did not attempt to secure the maid’s evidence, although the investigating officer conceded she was found working at a kopitiam outlet in Kuching.

The court also noted that there was no bad relationship between Samirah and Nazrin to establish a motive for the crime.