The High Court has scheduled July 8 to 11 for the defence hearing of four men accused of murdering T. Nhaveen in 2017. This comes after the Court of Appeal overturned their acquittal on January 13 and ruled that they must enter their defence, as decided by Justice Radzi Abdul Hamid.
Despite now serving at the Melaka High Court, Justice Radzi Abdul Hamid will continue presiding over the trial.
Defence lawyer R. Thevan informed the court that they intend to call “seven to eight” witnesses. The prosecution is led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Sariza Ismail.
In 2017, 18-year-old T. Nhaveen tragically lost his life after being brutally assaulted by a group of teenagers at a park in Bukit Gelugor.
The accused—J. Ragesuthan, 22, S. Gokulan, 22, and two others who were juveniles at the time—are charged with carrying out the attack near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre on Jalan Kaki Bukit, Bukit Gelugor, between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017.
The four were acquitted in October 2023 before the Court of Appeal later overturned the ruling. A three-judge panel at the appellate court unanimously determined that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them and found that the previous High Court judge had erred in granting their acquittal.
The panel also overturned the acquittal of the four accused on a separate charge of assaulting 19-year-old T. Previin with a dangerous weapon and ordered them to present their defence. Previin, who was with Nhaveen during the incident, suffered severe injuries to his eyes and head.
The Court of Appeal also upheld the acquittal of S. Gopinaath, 34, who was charged in 2021—four years after the attack. The court ruled that there was no case against him and deemed his late prosecution to be unjust.
Meanwhile, the four accused have remained in remand since their acquittal was overturned, as they were not granted bail.
The upcoming defence hearing marks a crucial phase in the long-standing case, as the four accused prepare to present their side in court. With the trial set to proceed under Justice Radzi Abdul Hamid, the legal battle continues to seek justice for T. Nhaveen. As the proceedings unfold, all eyes will be on the High Court to determine the outcome of this tragic and highly publicized case.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
