Hawa Osman, 54, was quoted by Sinar Harian yesterday as saying she was convinced her eldest son had not stolen the laptop as he already owned one.
Instead, she said some of her son’s possessions had gone missing.
She said she hoped the authorities would conduct a comprehensive investigation to clear his name of any wrongdoing.
“Recently, his mobile phone went missing when he was undergoing bicycle training and he was forced to contact us through a friend’s phone,” she said.
“His teachers and school friends also do not believe the allegation that he stole.
“I am confident he was innocent and hope full investigations are done to clear his name.”
Zulfarhan, 21, was pronounced dead at Serdang Hospital about 10pm on Thursday after he was sent there by several friends. About 80% of his body was covered in bruises and burn marks.
He had been allegedly bound and beaten because of a dispute over a laptop and reportedly tortured with a belt, rubber hose, iron and hanger on May 20 and 21.
Police detained 36 students from two public universities to assist in investigations that very night.
Selangor CID chief SAC Fadzil Ahmat said 32 of them were from UPNM and four from Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), all aged from 20 to 21. They were all remanded for seven days.
The investigations are being conducted under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
Hawa was reported by Sinar Harian to have calmed down since the death but was still distressed at the way he had died.
“He was tortured. His whole body was full of burn marks from a steam iron, including his chest and back,” she said.
“I have read before about people’s children being abused, but this time it was my own son. I cannot accept the manner in which he has gone.”