GEORGE TOWN, Oct 9 — The High Court here today set Oct 14 to hear closing submissions in the defence case of four men accused of murdering teenager T. Nhaveen nine years ago.

Judge Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid fixed the date after the proceedings, which began yesterday, wrapped up earlier than anticipated.

“I wish to remind the parties that this case involves two charges, under Section 302 and, at the material time, Section 326 of the Penal Code.

“Therefore, in recording your respective submissions, please distinguish between the two charges and the evidence adduced,” he said after hearing the final witness on the murder charge.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Mohd Amril Johari challenged the testimony of the last accused, a teenager at the time of the incident, who claimed he was beaten with a helmet by Nhaveen’s friend, T. Previin, until he passed out while trying to break up a “scuffle” at Jalan Kaki Bukit in Gelugor on June 9, 2017.

He also flagged the absence of a medical report supporting the alleged injuries and questioned why this was never raised during remand proceedings or in earlier prosecutions since 2017.

The accused denied the prosecution’s assertion that he and three others attacked Previin and Nhaveen and continued assaulting Nhaveen at Padang Openg, Gelugor. He said he did not know how the victim sustained the injuries that led to his death.

He read his witness statement and answered questions in Tamil, assisted by a court interpreter.

The prosecution is conducted by Mohd Amril, Yazid Mustaqim Roslan and Noor Azura Zulkiflee, while the accused, J. Ragesuthen, 27, S. Gokulan, 27, and two other teenagers, are represented by Maanveer Singh Dhillon, R. Thevan and Lim Sheng Zhe.

The Court of Appeal had earlier ordered Ragesuthen, Gokulan and the two teenagers to enter their defence on the murder charge after allowing the prosecution’s appeal against the High Court’s decision acquitting them on Oct 3, 2023.

They were also ordered to defend themselves on a charge of injuring Previin near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre at Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor, between 11 pm 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