Hearing of appeal by murder victim’s wife adjourned
KUCHING: The Court of Appeal has adjourned the hearing of an appeal by Ling Hang Tsyr, the wife of slain bank manager Wong Jing Kui, after one of the judges recused himself from the case.
Ling was found guilty and sentenced to death in 2017 for abetting in the murder of her husband in Sibu seven years ago.
Justice Stephen Chung recused himself from hearing the appeal yesterday as he came from Sibu and was familiar with Ling’s co-accused Tiong King Guan, who is still at large.
Ling’s counsel Lim Heng Choo said although he appreciated Chung’s declaration, he had no objection to Chung hearing the appeal as the case was previously adjourned from its first hearing on Aug 13 last year.
DPP Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail said she understood Chung’s position and asked for a new date to be fixed.
Lawyer Christina Teng, who held a watching brief for Wong’s family, also asked for an adjournment and said the family accepted Chung’s recusal.
Court of Appeal judge Justice Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid, leading a three-member bench, adjourned the hearing to Aug 26 after considering that the court had to be very careful about having a proper quorum to hear the case.
The other judge was Justice Abdul
Karim Abdul Jalil.
Last August, Ling’s appeal hearing was adjourned after Court of Appeal judge Justice Ravinthran Paramaguru also recused himself because he was hearing a child custody case involving Ling and Wong’s son.
Ling is being held in Kuching Prison pending her appeal against the conviction.