Paul Yong's trial adjourned, defence to file motion for rape case to be heard in High Court

IPOH: The Sessions Court here has allowed an application for the adjournment of the rape trial involving Perak state executive council member Paul Yong Choo Kiong (pic).

Sessions Court judge Norashima Khalid made the ruling on Wednesday (Nov 13) after the defence team requested for an adjournment, as they plan to file a motion under Section 417 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

Norashima then set Dec 5 for case management.

The defence team led by counsel Datuk Rajpal Singh later told reporters outside court that they were going to file an application soon to get the case heard and transferred to the High Court.

"We will wait for a date set by the High Court to hear our application, so the trial will not go on for the moment," he added.

Earlier Rajpal said various legal issues have been cropping up, especially those concerning the Witness Protection Act 2009.

He said the lawyers on Monday (Nov 11) were ready to proceed with the trial, but were taken aback when the prosecution decided to apply the Act not only for the main complainant but also for another undisclosed witness.

"We objected strongly, and thus today (Nov 13), the judge was supposed to make a ruling whether the two witnesses could testify under the Act or otherwise.

"However due to various issues that was raised, which I am not at liberty to reveal, the defence decided to file the application," he added.

In the dock is Yong, who was accused of raping his 23-year-old Indonesian domestic helper at a house at Desa Meru 2, Meru Desa Park, Meru Raya, on July 7.

On Monday, the prosecution had requested the court to allow the two main witnesses to testify as protected witnesses.

As usual, Yong's supporters had been waiting outside the court complex since 8am.

Both his supporters and the media were not allowed inside the court complex, and the media had to wait for some eight hours under the sun.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Azhar Mokhtar.