Nine Japanese students accused of assaulting and kidnapping a fellow student who was found dead at their Auckland-based academy last month will now face murder charges, police in New Zealand said Wednesday.

The students, aged between 17 and 26, are expected to be charged in court Thursday with the murder of 22-year-old Nozomu Shinozaki, whose body was found with head injuries by emergency services workers at the Columbus Academy in West Harbor, West Auckland, on Feb. 26, a police spokeswoman told Kyodo News.

Shinozaki's parents, who arrived in New Zealand from Yokohama shortly after his death, have cremated his body and returned his ashes to Japan, she said.

The New Zealand government is conducting a top-level inquiry into the performing arts academy for troubled Japanese youths. The probe involves immigration, health, education and employment officials after it was discovered the facility wasn't registered as a health or education provider.