GEORGE TOWN, Aug 10 — The Magistrate’s Court here today acquitted and discharged four men of a charge of abetting in the assault of a lawyer with an iron rod two years ago.

Magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi made the ruling after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Koay Beng Ghee, 38, Teh Eng Tat, 38, Ng Weng Kooi, 43, and Yeoh Ee Seong, 48, at the close of the prosecution’s case.

The court also found inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, resulting in a failure to establish the elements of the charge against Koay, Teh and Ng, who are marketing executives, and Yeoh, a businessman.

“The prosecution submitted 42 exhibits and called nine witnesses to testify. Having heard the testimony of the prosecution witnesses, examined the exhibits, conducted a maximum evaluation of the entire case and considered the submissions, the court finds that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case.

“Therefore, the court orders all the accused to be discharged and acquitted of the charges without being called to enter their defence,” she said.

“Therefore, the court orders all the accused to be discharged and acquitted of the charges without being called to enter their defence,” he said.

On December 24, 2024, Koay, Teh and Ng were charged with abetting Yeoh in causing injury to Beh Hong Shien, 37, using an iron rod by the roadside at Persiaran Karpal Singh here at 9.50am on October 22, 2024.

Yeoh was subsequently charged on December 27, 2024, with abetting the other three accused in committing the same offence.

They were charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 109 of the same Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, a fine, whipping, or any two of these punishments upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor M. Darrshini prosecuted the case, while lawyer Muhamad Asri Abdul Hamid represented Koay, Teh and Ng, and lawyers Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim, Mohd Khairul Fairuz and Marcia Geraldine Lopez represented Yeoh. — Bernama