Bill Kayong murder case: High Court to hear oral submission July 3
MIRI: The High Court yesterday fixed July 3 to hear oral submissions of a case involving the murder of land activist and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Miri secretary Bill Kayong on June 21, 2016.
Judge Ravinthran N Paramaguru set the date to hear oral submissions from both the prosecution and defence as the prosecution had applied to close the case today (May 22) against Mohamad Fitri Pauzi, the first accused in the murder case.
Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Nur Nisla Latiif has decided to conclude the case after calling 28 witnesses, including recalling yesterday the 18th prosecution witness Farah Al-Din Nordin, a gunshot residue (GSR) expert from the Chemistry Department headquarters in Petaling Jaya.
Farah, 31, was recalled for cross examination by Ranbir Singh, the counsel for Fitri.
When examined by Ranbir, Farah agreed with the statement that the entire analysis processes were conducted by Mohd Firdaus Ramli – a GPR expert from the Chemistry Department in Kuching. She only interpreted the report.
Meanwhile when asked by Nur Nisla why she agreed with the statement, Farah said during the analysis process, Mohd Firdaus handled the analysis instrument.
She said during that time, it was Mohd Firdaus’ turn to operate the instrument, although she herself was in the laboratory. She interpreted the result of the analysis because the case was hers.
After July 3 and within three weeks, both prosecution and defence were to send their written submission for the court to decide on the date of ruling on the case.
Defence counsels Orlando Chua and Arthur Lee were also present at the hearing yesterday, while Majen Panyog did a watching brief for Bill’s family.
Fitri, 30, from Jalan Dawai 1 Pujut 4D here – the sole defence witness – was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
The offence was allegedly committed at 8.20am on June 21, 2016, at the traffic light intersection near E-Mart Supermarket in Kuala Baram Bypass.
Three others charged for abetting Fitri – Lie Chang Loon, Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang and Chin Wui Ching – were, on June 5 last year, discharged and acquitted by the High Court here without their defence being called.
The Court of Appeal in Kuching on April 9 this year upheld the acquittal of the three charged with abetting the murder of Bill @ Mohd Hasbi Abdullah.
Judge Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, who chaired a threeman panel, said the appeal by the prosecutor against Lee, 47; Lie, 39; and Wui Ching, 52; had no merit. The court ruled that there was no connection to link the three to the murder.