GEORGE TOWN: The case of a 38-year-old bodyguard, charged with murder and attempted murder in a shooting spree at the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway last December, has been set for trial starting May 28.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed fixed a 10-day trial which would run until June 8.
The trial will jointly hear the charges faced by Ja’afar Halid - three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Nurul Fatin Hussin, who will be assisted by DPP Emma Syafawati Abdul Wahab during the trial, told the court that the prosecution had about 50 prosecution witnesses.
JC Abdul Wahab also fixed Feb 5 for case management after the court’s assigned counsel Y. Anbananthan requested for more time to study the documents received from the prosecution yesterday.
Ja’afar has denied murdering his boss, businessman Datuk Ong Teik Kwong, professional clown Choi Hon Ming and flower supplier M. Senthil.
He is accused of using a firearm to shoot the back of Ong’s head, Choi’s chest and right thigh, and Senthil’s chest.
The incident allegedly took place at the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway between 7.15pm and 7.30pm near the Penang Bridge intersection of the expressway on Dec 1 last year.
The three offences under Section 302 of the Penal Code carry the death penalty.
He also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of K. Arivarni, TNB Bhd assistant manager Nurul Huda Ab Aziz, factory worker Lee Hong Boon, RTM videographer Mohamad Amirul Amin Mohamed Amer and bank worker Puoh Bee Joo.
Ja’afar is serving a 12-month prison sentence meted out by a magistrate’s court here in May.
He pleaded guilty to pistol-whipping 33-year-old Lim Boon Leng on the head in the same incident.
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