GEORGE TOWN, Oct 7 — The High Court here today adjourned the defence proceedings of four men charged with the murder of teenager T. Nhaveen to tomorrow.

The defence sought an adjournment on the ground that it required time to follow up on the delivery of four witness statements to the prosecution today.

Judge Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid allowed the application and fixed the proceedings to resume at 9.30am tomorrow.

Counsel Maanveer Singh Dhillon, appearing for the four accused, informed the court that the defence had limited time to meet them in prison to prepare the said witness statements.

“We have just finalised the (written) witness statement. It is ready. We will deliver it to the prosecution today,” he said.

In addition, he submitted that the prosecution likewise required time to scrutinise the statements delivered today before the defence proceedings could continue.

Deputy public prosecutors Mohd Amri Johari and Yazid Mustaqim Roslan appeared for the prosecution, while the four accused were represented by counsel Maanveer Singh, R. Thevan and Lim Sheng Zhe.

On July 3, the High Court fixed October 7 to 9 and 12 to 16 for the defence trial of the four men charged with the murder of Nhaveen, nine years ago.

Previously, the Court of Appeal ordered J. Ragesuthan, 27, S. Gokulan, 27, and two other individuals who were juveniles at the time of the incident to enter their defence on the charge of murdering Nhaveen.

That decision was made after the court allowed the prosecution’s appeal against the High Court’s decision acquitting and discharging them on October 3, 2023. 

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code with murder, and under Section 326 of the same law with voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons, in respect of Nhaveen, 18, at the same place, date and time.

The panel of judges also directed that the case be remitted to the Penang High Court for the defence stage.

The four accused were likewise ordered to enter their defence on the charge of causing injury to Nhaveen’s friend, T. Previin, near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre on Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor, between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017.

Nhaveen died on June 15, 2017, from severe injuries sustained in the incident, after six days of treatment at Penang Hospital. — Bernama