KUCHING: The Federal Court here upheld the death sentence of a fishmonger convicted of murdering two British medical students a decade ago.
A three-judge panel, consisting of Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, Datuk Nordin Hassan, and Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, unanimously ruled that Zulkipli Abdullah’s appeal lacked merit.
Rhodzariah, delivering the court’s decision, stated that the evidence firmly supported Zulkipli’s murder conviction.
The 33-year-old from Kampung Gersik, had appealed against the High Court’s decision on March 31, 2015, which sentenced him to death for the murders of Aidan Brunger, 23, and Neil Dalton, 22.
The incident occurred near Jalan Abell between 4.10am and 4.15am on August 6, 2014.
He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which mandates the death penalty or a prison term up to 40 years, and if not sentenced to death, shall be caned with up to 12 lashes.
During the appeal, Zulkipli’s court-appointed counsel Candida Entri requested that the death sentence be replaced with a prison term of 30 to 40 years.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Asmah Musa argued for the sentence to be upheld, citing public safety, the possibility of recidivism and justice for the victims’ families.
According to the case facts, the incident happened when Zulkipli and three friends, returning from a bar at Mile 3, drove around looking for prostitutes.
Failing to find any, they went to a hotel and saw two foreign men moving a table. Zulkipli approached the men but they fled the scene.
He continued to search for prostitutes with his friends, but later encountered the victims near a bus station.
Zulkipli, wanting to test his strength, challenged Aidan to a fight, punching him in the face. Neil intervened, leading to Zulkipli stabbing both men with a folding knife.
Neil was found dead on a sidewalk near a telecommunication shop, while Aidan died at a bus station nearby.
A police report was lodged leading to Zulkipli being arrested on the same day (Aug 6, 2014).
