Ex-Perak exco Paul Yong’s rape trial set for Oct 19

IPOH, July 16 — The Sessions Court here set October 19 to 21 to hear the case of former Perak executive council member Paul Yong Choo Kiong, who is charged with raping an Indonesian maid.

Judge Azman Abu Hassan fixed the dates during the case management today.

Deputy public prosecutor Azhar Mokhtar prosecuted while Yong’s defence team was led by lawyer Datuk Rajpal Singh.

Earlier, Rajpal told the court that the defence team is waiting for the full judgment from the Federal Court over Yong’s appeal for the case to be transferred to the High Court.

“Initially, the High Court and the Court of Appeal have rejected the appeal for the case to be heard at the High Court.

“We then appealed at the Federal Court and now we are waiting for the majority judgments. It will be completed soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, Azhar requested the court to fix a trial date while waiting for the judgment by stating that the case has been postponed several times.

Judge Azman then set the new dates for the trial after the defence, as well as the prosecution team, agreed on the matter.

On August 23 last year, Yong who is also Tronoh assemblyman pleaded not guilty at the Session’s Court to raping a 23-year-old maid at his residence in 52, Desa Meru 2, Meru Desa Park, Meru Raya here on July 7, between 8.15pm and 9.15pm.

On December 5, the court set February 10 to 14 this year, to hear the case.

However, the trial has been deferred several times as the defence team sought to transfer the case to the High Court.

On November 26 last year, the High Court here dismissed Yong’s application to transfer his rape trial from the Sessions Court by stating that the issued raised by the defence team is not complex and the Sessions Court judge is competent and capable enough to hear the case.

On Feb 10 this year, the Court of Appeal dismissed Yong's application at the Federal Court on grounds that there was no appealable error by the High Court judicial commissioner in refusing Yong's application to transfer the case to the High Court.

Yong then filed an appeal at the Federal Court against the Court of Appeal's decision on Feb 11, and the matter is still pending.