Tronoh rep’s rape trial adjourned to Sept 27

IPOH – Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong’s rape trial at the high court here today has been adjourned to next month.

Judge Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed set September 27 and 28 to call other witnesses after hearing the testimonies of two today.

Today’s proceedings commenced with 21st prosecution witness A. Murugiah, a former Meru Desa Park supervisor who was, at the time of the alleged incident, responsible for ensuring security at the residential area where Yong lives.

During cross-examination by lawyer Datuk Rajpal Singh, Murugiah agreed that an inspection of CCTV footage with inspector Rashidi Othman, the then Jelapang police chief, showed a woman filmed heading towards the main road at 1.23pm on July 8, 2019, a day after Yong allegedly raped his maid.

“I don’t know who (it is). The security guards would ask for the name and their exit from which house.”

Murugiah agreed that there were two security guards on duty, and the woman chatted with them before leaving the area.

He said he quit his job voluntarily on July 31, 2019 due to dissatisfaction with the management, as well as work pressure.

During cross-examination by lawyer Salim Bashir, Murugiah said there were 24 CCTVs in the residential area, but none was able to record movements in the hallway of Yong’s unit.

“Any visitor who wants to enter will be recorded (in a logbook), unless there is an access card (issued to residents).”

He agreed that there are other politicians living in the area, and that it could not be ascertained if they had gone to Yong’s unit to meet any occupants.

The trial continued by calling to the stand 39-year-old Lee Yeong Wai, Yong’s friend who was driving a Toyota Alphard returning from Kuala Lumpur with the rep and his wife on the night of the purported incident.

When cross-examined by Rajpal, Lee said they arrived at Yong’s house about 8.30pm and chatted for a while before he left, and that he arrived at his house at 9.20pm.

It is an estimated 20-minute journey from Yong’s house to Lee’s home.

“When I was on the ‘porch’, I never met the maid,” he said, adding that he agrees Yong was wearing the same clothes when he left: a black T-shirt and pants.

The prosecution is led by state prosecution director Azlina Rasdi, and also comprises deputy public prosecutors Liyana Zawani Mohd Radzi and Mohd Fitri Sadarudin. The defence was led by Rajpal.

The court has heard testimonies from 22 witnesses since the trial began on April 5.

Yong, 51, has pleaded not guilty to raping his Indonesian maid at his residence in Meru Desa Park here between 8.15pm and 9.15pm on July 7 two years ago.

The case was earlier mentioned at the sessions court, but on December 15 last year, the Federal Court allowed the defence’s application to transfer the case to the high court.

Yong was first charged at the sessions court here on August 23, 2019, when he was Perak Housing, Local Government, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs and New Villages Committee chairman. – Bernama, August 18, 2021