Justice Duncan Sikodol made the decision to acquit all the accused after the prosecution halted the case, which had reached the trial stage, Berita Harian reported.

Deputy public prosecutor Khairul Azreem Mamat had informed the court that the prosecution would not continue with the case, taking into account new developments on the eighth day of the trial.

The 23rd witness, Nurimah Juli, 35, confessed to killing Nurman Bakaratu, 61, at Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas Batu 5, at about 8pm on Jan 13 last year.

She is understood to have been the victim’s former wife.

Mat Zaki, 59, faced two charges of conspiring to murder Nurman under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 302 of the same code.

The other accused comprised six police officers and one civilian – Rosdi Rastam, 45; Denis Anit, 45; Fabian Rungam, 44; Khairul Azman Bakar, 47; Mohd Azlan Sakaran, 40; John Kennedy Sanggah, 44; and Vivien Fabian, 34.

They were accused of murdering Nurman at an oil palm plantation near Jalan Anjur Juara, Jalan Apas Batu 5 here, between 7.30pm and 11.30pm, on Jan 13 last year.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, which carries the death penalty if convicted.