KOTA KINABALU: Eight people including former Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) intelligence chief SAC Datuk Mat Zaki Md Zain were acquitted of murdering ehailing driver Nurman Bakaratu, 61.
The development comes after Nurman's ex-wife admitted to murdering him while she was testifying in court earlier Thursday (Jan 25).
In acquitting them, Tawau High Court Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol ordered them to be released immediately.
Justice Sikodol made the decision after hearing the application of Deputy Public Prosecutor Khairul Azreem Mamat who said he did not want to proceed with the prosecution of all the accused.
Khairul Azreem said the application was made in accordance with Section 254 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
"This request was made after taking into account the latest developments in the case at the trial which entered the eighth day today," he said.
Earlier in the proceedings, the 23rd witness, Nurimah Juli, 35, confessed to killing Nurman, at Jalan Anjur Juara, Batu 5 Jalan Apas, at about 8pm, on Jan 13 last year.
Nurimah is the victim's ex-wife. On July 7, Mat Zaki, 58, along with six policemen and a civilian were charged with the murder of the ehailing driver.
According to the charge, Mat Zaki was accused of conspiring with John Kennedy Sanggah to kill Nurman, 61, in a palm oil plantation near Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas Batu 5, Tawau between 7.30pm and 11.30pm.
The charge was framed Section 109 of the Penal Code read with Section 302 of the Penal Code.
On Feb 8 before that, Mat Zaki was also alleged to have conspired with six other accused, namely Rosdi Rastam, 44; Denis Anit, 44; Fabian Rungam, 43; Khairul Azman Bakar, 47; Mohd Azlan Sakaran, 39; and Vivien Fabian, 34, killed Nurman at the same place and time.
