What happened to the victim?

Malaysian military cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, 20, was tortured and scalded with a steam iron by fellow students over a stolen laptop he did not steal, dying of his injuries in June 2017; after years of appeals, six main perpetrators' convictions were finally settled as manslaughter with 18-year sentences.

Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali (Charged with abetment of murder; convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), and Mohamad Shobirin Sabri (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.).

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Case file

Murder of Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain

SOLVED2017National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026

Documents violence · torture · ongoing investigation — written to inform, not to shock.

Between 21 and 22 May 2017, 20-year-old Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, a third-year navy cadet officer at the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, was held and tortured by fellow students at the university's dormitory over a laptop belonging to one of his abusers, Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, that had gone missing. A bomoh (traditional healer), consulted by Muhammad Akmal, had wrongly indicated Zulfarhan as the thief. Zulfarhan consistently denied stealing the laptop. On 22 May 2017, six students used a steam iron to scald him repeatedly across his body, including his private parts, over several hours. He did not report to class in the following days due to his injuries. On 27 and 31 May 2017, he was brought to a clinic by some of the accused, who misrepresented the injuries as resulting from an army training explosion; the treating doctor advised hospitalization each time, but Zulfarhan and his companions declined. On 1 June 2017, he was taken to Serdang Hospital, where he died. A forensic pathologist found 90 burn marks on his body, 29 of them third-degree, which she testified were sufficient to cause death.

Police classified the death as murder and questioned 36 students. Eighteen students were ultimately charged with murder or causing hurt: five men (Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, and Mohamad Shobirin Sabri) were charged with murder, a sixth (Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali) with abetment of murder, and twelve others with causing hurt. A 19th suspect, Muhammad Akmal Akif Alias, was charged with causing hurt but was acquitted in 2019 without his defence being called.

The trial ran at the Kuala Lumpur High Court from January 2018 to November 2021. On 2 November 2021, Justice Azman Abdullah convicted the six main defendants of manslaughter rather than murder, sentencing each to 18 years' imprisonment, and sentenced the twelve others to three years each for causing hurt. Zulfarhan's mother, Hawa Osman, gave a victim impact statement describing the family's reliance on her eldest son and the toll of his death on her health.

The prosecution appealed, and on 23 July 2024 the Court of Appeal overturned the manslaughter verdicts, convicting the six main defendants of murder and sentencing them to death, calling the case among the "rarest of the rare." The twelve causing-hurt sentences were raised to four years each. The convicted men appealed to the Federal Court, which on 28 February 2025 overturned the murder convictions and death sentences, restoring the manslaughter convictions and 18-year sentences, finding that intent to murder had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

The case, alongside the contemporaneous killing of another Malaysian student, T. Nhaveen, prompted national discussion of bullying in schools and universities, with government officials and human rights bodies calling for reforms and greater institutional accountability.

Key facts

Victims: Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain
Date: 2017
Location: National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur
Case status: solved

Case timeline

1996-11-29
Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain is born.
2017-05-21
Zulfarhan is confined and assaulted by fellow students at UPNM dormitory over a missing laptop.
2017-05-22
Six students use a steam iron to scald Zulfarhan repeatedly over several hours.
2017-05-27
Zulfarhan is brought to a clinic by friends who misrepresent his burn injuries as training-related; doctor advises hospitalization, which is declined.
2017-05-31
Zulfarhan returns to the clinic in a weaker, dehydrated state; hospitalization again advised.
2017-06-01
Zulfarhan dies at Serdang Hospital; police classify the death as murder.
2017-06-14
Six students are charged with murder or abetment of murder; 13 others charged with causing hurt.
2017-09-15
The six murder suspects are ordered to stand trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
2017-11-13
High Court grants prosecution's request to try all 19 suspects together.
2018-01-29
Joint trial of 19 defendants begins at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
2019-07-31
18 of 19 accused are ordered to enter their defence; the 19th, Muhammad Akmal Akif Alias, is acquitted.
2021-04-08
Defence completes its case after calling over 20 witnesses.
2021-09-29
Closing submissions are made by prosecution and defence.
2021-11-02
High Court convicts six main defendants of manslaughter (18 years each) and 12 others of causing hurt (3 years each).
2024-05-14
Court of Appeal hears prosecution's and defendants' cross-appeals.
2024-07-23
Court of Appeal overturns manslaughter verdicts, convicts six main defendants of murder, sentences them to death; raises causing-hurt sentences to four years.
2025-02-18
First Federal Court appeal hearing convenes.
2025-02-28
Federal Court overturns murder convictions and death sentences, restores manslaughter convictions and 18-year sentences.

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People

Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali
CONVICTED
Charged with abetment of murder; convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.
citation on file
Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain
VICTIM
20-year-old navy cadet officer at UPNM who died from torture-related injuries on 1 June 2017.
citation on file
Muhammad Akmal Akif Alias
ACQUITTED
19th suspect, charged with causing hurt to Zulfarhan; acquitted in 2019 without his defence being called.
citation on file
Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat
CONVICTED
Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.
citation on file
Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal
CONVICTED
Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.
citation on file
Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi
CONVICTED
Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.
citation on file
Justice Hadhariah Syed Ismail
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Led the three-judge Court of Appeal panel that overturned the manslaughter verdicts and imposed death sentences in 2024.
citation on file
Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi
CONVICTED
Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.
citation on file
Justice Azman Abdullah
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge who presided over the original trial and delivered the 2021 manslaughter verdict.
citation on file
Mohamad Shobirin Sabri
CONVICTED
Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.
citation on file

Places

National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur

3.0503, 101.7234

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?: Malaysian military cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, 20, was tortured and scalded with a steam iron by fellow students over a stolen laptop he did not steal, dying of his injuries in June 2017; after years of appeals, six main perpetrators' convictions were finally settled as manslaughter with 18-year sentences.
Where did the murder happen?: National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.
Who was convicted?: Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali (Charged with abetment of murder; convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.), and Mohamad Shobirin Sabri (Convicted of manslaughter (Section 304(a)) and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment; a Court of Appeal murder conviction and death sentence were later overturned by the Federal Court, restoring the manslaughter conviction.).
What is the current status of the case?: Status: solved.

Sources

Murder of Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnainwikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
Inhumane acts: Judges condemn 'rare and extreme cruelty' in Zulfarhan murdernews · malaymail.com · 2026-07-07
Dead cadet's father disappointed with court ruling, says will wait for outcomenews · nst.com.my · 2026-07-07

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Key facts

Case timeline

Best coverage

People

Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali

Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain

Muhammad Akmal Akif Alias

Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat

Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal

Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi

Justice Hadhariah Syed Ismail

Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi

Justice Azman Abdullah

Mohamad Shobirin Sabri

Places

Common questions

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