SIBU: A former plantation van driver was on Tuesday (June 13) ordered by the High Court here to enter his defence on two charges of murder and another charge of voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
Justice Wong Siong Tung made the ruling after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and Ahmad’s counsel.
“The court is of the view that the prosecution has established a prima facie case in respect of the first and second charges of having committed the offence of murder by causing the death of Pandang Sarang and Muli Laha respectively and also in respect of the third charge of having committed the offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Tene.
“Therefore, the court calls upon the accused to enter defence on all the three charges,” Wong added.
He fixed hearing of the defence case from Aug 28 -30.
Ahmad, 32, opted to give evidence under oath in the witness box for his defence hearing.
In the first charge, he stands accused of murdering one Pandang, an Indonesian woman, at the Oil Palm Plantation Road, Block A3 Ladang Lassa, Jaya Tiasa in Daro district at about 11am on Feb 11 last year.
The second charge accuses him of causing the death of another Indonesian woman, Muli Laha, at the Oil Palm Plantation Road, Ladang Tanjung Alan Tradewind in Daro District at about 11am on Feb 11 last year.
The charges were framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code which upon conviction, provides for the mandatory death sentence.
Ahmad, on the third charge, stands accused of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to one Tene, who is also an Indonesian woman, with a stone by the roadside at Lorong Ladang A6, Ladang Lassa, Jaya Tiasa in Daro district at about 11am on Feb 11, 2022.
The offence falls under Section 326 of the Penal Code which carries an imprisonment of up to 20 years and liable to a fine or whipping if convicted.
A total of 25 prosecution witnesses were called to testify against Ahmad who was represented by assigned counsel Ben Lau. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mark Kenneth Netto appeared for the prosecution.
