GEORGE TOWN – The sessions court in Penang has charged a fifth individual over the murder of 18-year-old T. Nhaveen, who was killed four years ago.
Contractor S. Gopinaath, 30, was arrested based on the earlier testimony of key prosecuting witness T. Previin that five, not four individuals, had allegedly beat Nhaveen up in 2017.
Gopinaath was picked up by police earlier today, and later at 2.30pm was charged with first-degree murder at the sessions court here.
He is the elder brother of S. Gokulan, one of the four co-accused in the murder.
The burly suspect was charged with murdering Nhaveen at Jalan Bunga Raya in Bukit Gelugor between 11pm and midnight on June 9 with four others.
He nodded when the charge was read out to him before informing the court that he has appointed a lawyer, who will be present later.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Aimy Zainul Anwar said that Gopinaath’s case would be transferred to the high court tomorrow, while no bail was accorded.
Currently, four people, including two youngsters, are charged with Nhaveen’s murder.
The murder trial is in the midst of proceedings, and will continue in March.
The four co-suspects also faced another charge today when they were accused of causing grievous hurt to Previin, aged 23.
The man suffered a fractured cheekbone when the four had allegedly set on him with crash helmets after beating Nhaveen.
In another development, the four accused of Nhaveen’s murder were also charged at a magistrates’ court today with causing grievous hurt to Previin.
Previin was accompanying Nhaveen at the time of the incident.
The accused – J. Ragesuthan, 18; Gokulan, 18; and two others who were juveniles at the time – have been charged with committing the offence near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre in Jalan Kaki Bukit between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017.
All four pleaded not guilty to the charge under Section 326 of the Penal Code.
The victim’s mother D. Shanti, aged 47, was seen in earlier trials constantly sobbing as she recalled the trauma that her son encountered in school as a victim of bullying in school. – The Vibes, December 30, 2021
