Special board to probe murder of UPNM cadet

PETALING JAYA: A special investigation board has been set up by the Armed Forces to look into the murder of Malaysian National Defence University (UPNM) cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.

In a statement, the university said the board was formed as Zulfarhan was under the purview of the Armed Forces’ military training academy.

“As such, we cannot comment directly on the case.

“However, we believe that a professional and thorough investigation will be carried out,” it said yesterday.

UPNM also expressed its deepest sympathies and condolences to Zulfarhan’s family and friends.

Meanwhile, there may be more arrests in relation to Zulfarhan’s murder.

Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Seri Abdul Samah Mat said further arrests cannot be ruled out.

“We have to go where the investigation takes us,” he said after attending a rank promotion ceremony for the state’s police officers at the Selangor police headquarters in Shah Alam yesterday.

He said police have recorded statements from several parties, including the clinic doctor who treated 21-year-old Zulfarhan prior to his death.

However, Comm Abdul Samah dismissed claims that the victim was accused of stealing a laptop because the student who lost the laptop had purportedly consulted a bomoh, who then pointed the finger at Zulfarhan.

“Who said bomoh? We never said bomoh. There is no bomoh,” he said.

It was reported that Zulfarhan was found with burn marks and bruises in a 25th floor apartment in Serdang at around 8pm last Thurs­day.

He was believed to have still been alive when friends rushed him to the hospital, though he was pronounced dead at around 9pm at Hospital Serdang.

It was alleged that Zulfarhan may have been a victim of bullying due to a dispute over a laptop, where he was allegedly bound, beaten and burned with an iron.

So far, 36 students have been arrested in connection with the case.