Six Malaysian University Students Sentenced to Death

On August 8, 2024, six Malaysian university students were unanimously convicted of murder by the court for the prolonged abuse and subsequent death of freshman Zafar, and all were sentenced to death by hanging.

This incident occurred in May 2017, when 21-year-old naval cadet Zufahan was brutally bullied to death by his classmates on the campus of the National Defence University of Malaysia. The Kuala Lumpur High Court had ruled in 2021 that the six main suspects were guilty of manslaughter and sentenced them to 18 years in prison. However, Zufahan's parents were dissatisfied and appealed to the judicial authorities, demanding a death sentence. On July 23, 2024, the Putrajaya Court of Appeal delivered a verdict, overturning the previous manslaughter verdict and convicting the six of murder, who must face the gallows.

In this case of death due to campus bullying, Zufahan was accused of stealing a classmate's laptop and was abused in the dormitory. However, Zufahan firmly denied the theft accusation. To force him to admit the theft, the perpetrators escalated the violence against him. It is said that two or three dozen students participated in this violence, which lasted for a full two days. Through the autopsy afterwards, the forensic doctor found that Zufahan had as many as 90 wounds on his body, 29 of which were third-degree burns, with 80% of his body burned. There were also severe bruises and fractures. These wounds were mainly caused by irons, clothes hangers, belts, etc. Even his genitals were severely burned. Due to the severity of the injuries, Zufahan could not survive even though he was sent to the hospital immediately.