Court sets March 3 for decision on stay of proceedings in exco’s rape case

Perak exco Paul Yong Choo Kiong has claimed trial. (Bernama pic)

IPOH: The Sessions Court here set March 3 for the decision on the application by the defence for a stay of proceedings in the rape case involving Perak exco Paul Yong Choo Kiong pending the outcome of the appeal for the case to be transferred to the High Court.

Judge Norashima Khalid also ordered the defence team to file a written notice of application on Feb 18 and the prosecution to submit a counter affidavit on Feb 25.

“The accused must be present on the date (March 3) and there must be written submissions from both parties. I do not want any more extensions or excuses,” she said.

During the proceedings, Yong’s counsel Rajpal Singh said the application was made on the reason the defence had filed a notice for appeal at the Federal Court yesterday, after the application to transfer the case to the High Court was rejected by the Appeals Court in Putrajaya.

Deputy public prosecutor Raya Azhar Mokhtar said he was ready to proceed with the trial.

When met outside the court, Rajpal said the date to hear the outcome of the appeal at the Federal Court had yet to be fixed.

On Dec 5 last year, Norashima set the date of hearing in the case against Yong, who is also Tronoh state assemblyman, for Feb 10 to 14.

The prosecution is conducted by deputy public prosecutor Ainul Wardah Shahidan while Yong was also represented by Salim Bashir and Farhan Sapian.

On Aug 23 last year, Yong, who is also Perak Housing, Local Government, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs and New Villages Committee chairman, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court to raping an Indonesian maid at a house in Meru Desa Park, between 8.15pm and 9.15pm on July 7, 2019.

Yesterday, the Appeals Court in Putrajaya rejected his application to transfer the rape trial from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

The decision was a 2-1 majority by the three-member panel with justices Yaacob Md Sam and Kamaludin Md Said deciding to dismiss the appeal, while justice Rhodzariah Bujang dissented. - FMT