GEORGE TOWN: The High Court here has set Thursday (Oct 8) to hear the defence of four men charged with the murder of T. Nhaveen nine years ago.
The trial originally set to begin on Wednesday will begin Thursday after the defence requested an adjournment to allow both sides time to review four finalised witness statements.
Judge Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid fixed the new hearing date after defence counsel Maanveer Singh Dhillon told the court the defence had met the four men at the prison but had limited time with them during each session.
“We just finalised it, and the written statement is ready,” he told the court on Wednesday.
Maanveer handed the four statements to the court and to the prosecution team led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Amri Johari.
Mohd Amri told the court that the prosecution needed time to review the four statements.
Radzi allowed the adjournment and fixed the proceedings to begin at 9.30am on Thursday.
The defence then informed the court that one of the four accused will need the assistance of a Tamil interpreter.
The trial is set for eight days, Wednesday to Friday and Oct 12 to 16 this year.
Mohd Amri leads the prosecution team with Deputy Public Prosecutor Yazid Mustaqim Roslan.
The murder of Nhaveen, who was 18 at the time, at a park here, between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017, shook the nation.
The accused - J. Ragesuthan, S. Gokulan, both now aged 27, and two minors at the time of the incident were originally acquitted by the High Court in Oct 2023 but were rearrested and remanded following the Court of Appeal’s decision in June this year (2026) to enter their defence on a murder charge and for causing injury to Nhaveen's friend, T. Previin, at the same time and place of the murder.
In June (2026), the Court of Appeal ordered the four men to enter their defence on a murder charge after allowing the prosecution's appeal against the Penang High Court's decision on Oct 3, 2023, to discharge and acquit them.
The appellate court also remitted the case to the Penang High Court for the four men to enter their defence.
The four were further ordered to enter their defence on a charge of causing injury to Nhaveen's friend, T. Previin, near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre along Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor, between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017.
Nhaveen sustained serious injuries after being assaulted by a group of youths in an incident along Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor.
He was admitted to Penang Hospital but died six days later.
His friend, Previin, was also reportedly assaulted by the same group with motorcycle helmets but managed to escape and seek help.
