Sadness engulfed the High Court room hearing Cadet Marine Officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain’s murder case as a witness screamed, reenacting the moments Zulfarhan was tortured with a hot iron, with his legs and arms tied by his fellow varsity mates, last year.

"Help! It’s hot!," shouted Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia's (UPNM) third-year Human Resource Management student Ahmad Senabil Mohamad, 22, in the witness stand after being asked by Deputy Public Prosecutor Othman Abdullah to reenact the incident on the 12th day of the trial, yesterday.

Ahmad Senabil was the individual who saw Zulfarhan Osman tortured with a steam iron in room 4-10 at the UPNM hostel between 4am and 6am, on May 22, 2017.

The exclamations 'Allahuakhbar', 'Astaghfirullahalazim', was heard from the public gallery filled with the victim’s and the accused's families, the media and the public following the proceedings.

Zulfarhan's mother was also seen unable to help herself from choking and crying upon hearing the screams.

Recalling the incident, the 24th prosecution witness, who was a resident of room 3-06, namely, Zulfarhan's roommate, said he had gone to room 4-10 room at about midnight on the case of a laptop theft allegedly involving the deceased.

In the room, Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali, who was the sixth suspect, had asked Zulfarhan several questions but the victim was said to have twisted his replies, prompting Abdoul Hakeem to punch the latter's stomach twice. Another accused, Muhammad Danial Firdaus Azmir, followed suit.

Ahmad Senabil said Abdoul Hakeem later ordered Zulfarhan to take off his pants and continued to hit the victim, and a short while later, more than 10 individuals entered the room.

The witness said other than punching and kicking the victim who was only wearing boxer shorts, Abdoul Hakeem also hit him with a shirt hanger while Danial Firdaus used a trash spade.

He said during the beating, Zulfarhan told him he did take the laptop but Abdoul Hakeem and Danial Firdaus continued the assault.

-- Bernama