KUCHING: The Court of Appeal yesterday adjourned to Nov 11 the hearing of a case involving four men who were convicted for murdering a woman five years ago.
Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail who led the three-panel judges made the decision after hearing submission from the prosecution that one of the lawyers representing the appellant has withdrawn from the case.
The appellants Goh Wee Kian, 45, Farose Tamure Mohamad Khan, 27, Abdul Hadi Sabeni, 26 and Saidini Sabeni, 24, were convicted of murdering 32-year-old Catherine Chong Jang Joon about 1.30am on Aug 9, 2007 at a parking space in front of an entertainment outlet in Central Park here. Abdul Hadi and Saidini are brothers.
They were convicted under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence after they were found guilty in the High Court on April 30, 2010.
Chong, from Jalan Sin San Tu in Batu Kawa, was stabbed no less than five times on the lower right side of her neck and upper chest area. She died on the spot.
DPP Musli Abdul Hamid prosecuted while other members of the panel were Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim and Datuk Mohammad Ariff Md Yusof.
In an unrelated case, a van driver was discharged but not amounting to an acquittal from a charge of assisting in the concealment of stolen property.
Magistrate Portia Tham made the decision as the investigation was incomplete.
Ngo Loo Lok, 43, was charged with concealing seven types of canned food totaling 1, 057 cans from a factory at Muara Tebas about 9pm on Sept 23.
He was charged with another person, Kong Sin Hook, 29, who did not turn up at the court yesterday. Assisting in the concealment of stolen property comes under Section 414 of the Penal Code which provides an imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or both.