GEORGE TOWN, July 8 — The Penang High Court has postponed the trial of four individuals charged with the 2017 murder of bullying victim T. Nhaveen, which was initially scheduled to commence today.
The trial of the accused J. Ragesuthan, 26; S. Gokulan, 26; and two others, who were juveniles at the time of the incident, has been rescheduled to run from November 17 to November 25.
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid granted the adjournment pending the outcome of an appeal before the Federal Court involving a fifth individual, S. Gopinaath, 34, who was charged in 2021, four years after the incident.
He held that the adjournment was necessary to avoid duplicative or piecemeal proceedings, which could result in the recall of witnesses, and fixed September 22 for case management to obtain an update on the status of the Federal Court appeal.
On January 13, the Court of Appeal ordered the four individuals to enter their defence on the original charge of murder after allowing the prosecution's appeal to set aside the Penang High Court’s decision on October 23, 2023, which had acquitted and discharged them.
It also ordered the four accused to enter their defence on a separate charge of causing grievous hurt to Nhaveen’s friend T. Previin, who was 19 years old at the time of the incident.
The Court of Appeal then remitted the case to the Penang High Court, allowing the four individuals to defend themselves against the charges, while maintaining the acquittal of S. Gopinaath, who was charged in 2021 and is still undergoing trial.
The four individuals were accused of murdering T. Nhaveen, then aged 18, at a park in Jalan Bunga Raya between 11pm and 12am on June 9, 2017.
Concerning the charge of causing grievous hurt to Previin, it is alleged that they committed the offence near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre at Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor, at the same time.
According to the facts of the case, Nhaveen was assaulted with a crash helmet and later admitted to Penang General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on June 15, 2017.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Yazid Mustaqim Roslan applied for the adjournment.
In today’s proceedings, DPPs Mohd Amril Johari and Yazid Mustaqim appeared for the prosecution, while counsel Maanveer Singh Dhillon and R. Thevan represented all four accused.
— Bernama
