Five people including a member of the armed forces were ordered to make their defence on a charge of causing the death of a company manager last year.

Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah made the order on army personnel Ahmad Saipunizam Mohd Pirus, 36, Ahmad Bohari Mohamad Noor, 52, his son Muhamad Hairie Ahmad Bohari, 24, Atan Mad Sah, 50, and his son Suhaimi Atan, 24.

Mohamad Shariff made the decision after the prosecution managed to prove a prima facie case.

He said the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were consistent and there were no grounds to doubt the truth and their credibility when they said that all the accused were involved in the case, causing serious injuries to the deceased.

The court fixed nine days from May 30 to June 15 for all the accused who opted to give evidence under oath to defend themselves.

They were jointly charged with causing the death of Liew Han Yuen, 48, between 11.40 pm on April 14, 2016 and 1.30 am on April 15, 2016.

They allegedly committed the offence at Jalan PPR Kampung Limau, Pantai Dalam, here. The offence under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, provides for a jail term of up to 30 years and a fine.

DPP Ahmad Nazneen Zulkafli appeared for the prosecution, while lawyers Saiful Zulhelmi Zulkifli and Aizul Rohan Anuar represented Ahmad Bohari and Muhamad Hairie, Adi Zulkarnain Zulkifly and Faizal Rahman represented Ahmad Saifunizam, and Wan Azmir Wan Majid acted for Suhaimi.

Fifteen prosecution witnesses were called to give evidence, while the defence called 21 witnesses. -- Bernama