Three PALAPES Instructors Charged With Causing Cadet’s Death

KOTA TINGGI,  Feb 27 (Bernama) -- Three Reserve Officer Training Unit (PALAPES) instructors were charged in the Sessions Court here with causing the death of a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) officer cadet last year.

The three Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) officers - Major Mohd Azmi Abu Bakar, 40, Warrant Officer Mohd Norbuang Ghani, 41, and Captain Muhammad Bahaudin Abd Rashid, 30, pleaded not guilty before Judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan.

They were jointly accused of committing an act that led to the death of Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, 22, with the intention of causing injury likely to result in death.

The offence was allegedly committed on July 28 last year between 2pm and 3pm at the Ulu Tiram Utara Firing Range here.

The charge framed under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, provides for imprisonment of up to 30 years and a fine upon conviction.

Earlier, the prosecution, led by Johor prosecution director Abdul Ghafar Abdul Latif and Nor Afiqah Musa, informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers proposed bail of RM50,000 with one surety if bail were to be granted.

Judge Hayda Faridzal initially set bail at RM25,000 before reducing it to RM20,000 with one surety after hearing mitigation. The court also ordered the accused to surrender their passports.

In his plea, Mohd Azmi, who welcomed his third child 23 days ago, asked for a lower bail amount, saying they could not afford it and had no disciplinary record during their service.

He said he had served in the MAF for 21 years and that none of them had faced disciplinary action, adding that they have family responsibilities.

“What happened was not something we asked for, Your Honour,” he said.

The court fixed April 13 for case mention for the appointment of counsel and submission of documents.

Syamsul Haris died at Hospital Kota Tinggi on July 28 last year after undergoing training at the Army Combat Training Centre in Ulu Tiram and was buried at the Kampung Rinching Ulu Muslim Cemetery in Semenyih, Selangor.

On Aug 26, 2025, the High Court ordered the grave to be exhumed to allow for a second post-mortem to be conducted within 14 days of the body’s removal.

The second post-mortem was carried out at Hospital Kuala Lumpur on Aug 30, and the body was reburied the same day.

On Dec 2 last year, the AGC directed that the case be reclassified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for further investigation by the police after reviewing the findings.

-- BERNAMA