Rep on rape charge to know fate on Dec 7

 

Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong at the Ipoh High Court for his trial on a charge of raping his maid. (Bernama pic)

IPOH: The decision on whether Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong will be acquitted or ordered to enter his defence on the charge of raping an Indonesian maid will be known on Dec 7.

High Court judge Abdul Wahab Mohamed set the date after hearing arguments from the prosecution and defence at the end of the prosecution’s case.

“I need time to review the documents, notes, evidence and written arguments of all parties over several weeks before making a decision,” he said.

The prosecution team was led by Perak prosecution director Azlina Rasdi while the defence comprised Rajpal Singh, Salim Bashir and Phang Yong Nur Sarah.

Earlier, Rajpal argued that there were many questions which the alleged victim was unable to answer in detail, including why the incident was not related to the closest persons such as the mother or wife of the accused.

Rajpal also raised the effect of the unknown mixed DNA profile in several exhibits which were not from the accused apart from the note, “wait and see”, in the diary of the victim on July 6, 2019, which was a day before the alleged incident occurred.

The lawyer said the story of the woman being raped by her employer could be made up as based on the statement of the employment agency, it was a normal allegation if the maid wanted to return to her home country or did not wish to work apart from being a political conspiracy.

Azlina argued that the maid had earlier said she did not relate the incident to Yong’s wife and family because she had been threatened before.

She said the maid had also contacted the Indonesian embassy three times the next day to report the incident and the fact was confirmed through a telephone call.

Yong, 51, pleaded not guilty to the charge of raping the maid in his house at Meru Desa Park here between 8.15pm and 9.15pm on July 7, 2019.

The case was earlier heard in the Sessions Court on Dec 15, 2020, before the Federal Court allowed the defence’s application to transfer it to the High Court.

Yong was charged in the Sessions Court on Aug 23, 2019 when he was a Perak executive councillor. - FMT