The High Court in Ipoh today postponed the rape trial involving Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong after three main witnesses tested positive for Covid-19.
Judge Abdul Wahab Mohamed adjourned the trial until June 23, following a request by the prosecution for a postponement because three of its witnesses in charge of CCTV recordings are now in quarantine.
“Without these three testifying, the other witnesses cannot take the stand to view the recordings,” he said.
The court also fixed May 28 for the defence reply and the decision on the prosecution’s application for two witnesses to testify under the Witness Protection Act 2009.
On the fourth day of trial today, prosecution witness, Thong Wan Cheng, a secretary at a Bercham-based maid agency, told Deputy Public Prosecutor Liyana Zawani Mohd Radzi that on the morning of July 8, 2019, the agency’s telephone operator answered a call from Indonesian Embassy Manpower Unit employee, Riki Sapari, who said the victim had contacted him and alleged that she had been raped by her employer.
“I then contacted Riki through WhatsApp after he failed to answer my call and he asked me to lodge a police report and to go rescue the victim,” she said.
However, when the agency’s employees went over to Yong’s house at 1.30pm, they were told that the 24-year-old victim was no longer in the house and that house keys were also missing, Thong told the court.
Yong, 51, was charged with raping the maid at his house at Meru Desa Park between 8.15pm and 9.15pm on July 7, 2019.
He was first charged on August 23, 2019, while the Perak housing, local government, public transport, non-Muslim affairs and new village committee exco.
Earlier reports:
Apr 7, Paul Yong rape case: No external injuries found on maid
Apr 6, Paul Yong rape trial: Prosecution wants two witnesses placed under protection
Apr 5, Paul Yong’s rape trial begins