GEORGE TOWN – The prime witness in teenager T. Nhaveen’s murder case has been taken away from Penang for his safety, after he received threatening calls from unknown parties.
Eyewitness T. Previin, 22, was earlier today taken by his lawyers to the Jelutong police station for an identification process following two new reports lodged by his and Nhaveen’s families.
Arun Doraisamy, chairman of the Nhaveen Action League, a group formed to help the victim’s mother, said Previin was accompanied by him and his lawyers to assist in the police probe after four new reports were filed in connection with the killing.
“We then took Previin away from Penang for his safety as he was threatened over the phone that he would be killed if he discloses more details on Nhaveen’s murder,” said Arun in a press conference outside the police station that was also carried live on Facebook.
He said four police reports were lodged last week – two by Previin, one by Nhaveen’s mother D. Shanti, and the other by Nhaveen’s uncle.
He said as advised by police, they will seek for Previin to be placed under the witness protection programme.
Nhaveen was allegedly assaulted and killed some five years ago, with the case grabbing national headlines.
It is learnt that police have detained and remanded three suspects after new evidence was furnished by the group seeking justice for the teen’s family.
Two were arrested here last Saturday and Sunday, and a 24-year-old individual surrendered to police on Monday. All three are aged between 21 and 30.
It is believed that the suspects were involved in the threatening of three witnesses in the case, including threatening to murder one of them.
Timur Laut district police chief Soffian Santong previously said police will seek advice from the deputy public prosecutor’s office following the submission of the new evidence.
Currently, four people are on trial for murder following Nhaveen’s death of head injuries, after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of fellow students.
His mother had said her son was bullied throughout his secondary school years prior to the brutal assault.
J. Ragesuthan and S. Gokulan, both 18, and two juveniles aged 17 and 16 were charged with the murder on June 19, 2017.
Hearings are expected to resume next month at the high court here.
The suspects are accused of murdering Nhaveen near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre in Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor, between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017. – The Vibes, May 27, 2021
