Three men acquitted of murder over Serian man’s death

The accused and their family members talking to their counsel Shankar Ram outside the court room.

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, May 29: The High Court here today acquitted and discharged three men charged with the murder of a man in Kampung Batu Kudi, Balai Ringin, after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against them.

Judicial Commissioner Zaleha Mohd Yusuf Pan made the decision after evaluating the prosecution’s evidence at the close of the prosecution’s case.

The accused Jackson Grunsin, Jupiter Jawa Chapan and Fredrick Bunyau Intai had been jointly charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 for allegedly murdering Sevester Naman James Jambu.

According to the charge, the three men, acting with common intention, were alleged to have caused the victim’s death between 3.40pm and 4.30pm on May 19, 2022, at Kampung Batu Kudi, Balai Ringin, Serian.

In delivering her ruling, Zaleha said the prosecution, after calling 15 witnesses over 16 days of trial proceedings conducted between March 13 and Dec 5, 2025, had failed to prove a prima facie case against all three accused.

“After carefully evaluating the prosecution’s evidence, and having subjected the prosecution’s evidence to maximum evaluation, I find that the prosecution has not made out a prima facie case against the first, second and third accused,” she said.

The court subsequently ordered all three accused to be discharged and acquitted of the charge.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Marvind Kaliyani appeared for the prosecution on behalf of DPP Aida Nurdiana Che Kamarulzaman, while the accused were represented by counsel Shankar Ram, together with Shemira Adzhar, Nur Fa’hira Fardela and Mohamad Amir Junih. — DayakDaily