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Federal Court upholds death sentences of two cult followers
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Two "Tuhan Harun" followers are to hang for the murder of Pahang Islamic Religious Department (Jaip) Enforcement Division principal assistant director, Ahmad Raffli Abd Malek in 2013.

This follows a unanimous decision by a five-man bench of the Federal Court in Putrajaya today to dismiss the final appeals of Sumustapha Suradi and Shamsinar Abdul Halim, and to uphold their convictions and death sentences.

Chief Justice Richard Malanjum, who led the bench, held that the duo's appeals did not have merits.

The other judges on the bench were Court of Appeal president Ahmad Maarop and Federal Court judges Azahar Mohamed, Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin and Rohana Yusuf.

Sumustapha, 43, and Shamsinar, 41, were sent to the gallows by the Kuantan High Court in 2016 after they were found guilty of murdering Ahmad Raffli.

The 49-year-old victim was shot outside his house in Bandar Indera Mahkota, Kuantan, on Nov 10, 2013.

The duo lost their appeals at the appellate court on Feb 8, this year.

Cult leader Harun Mat Saat, better known as "Tuhan Harun" (God Harun), was also charged with conspiring in the murder. However, the charge against him was dropped on Aug 26, 2016, after he died at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan on Aug 16, 2016, due to respiratory problems.

Lawyer Iskandar Shah Ibrahim represented the duo while deputy public prosecutor Ku Hayati Ku Haron appeared for the prosecution.

The last option left for both men is to file a petition for clemency to the Pardons Board. – Bernama

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