Four men charged over a morning attack on a Penang lawyer with an iron rod were acquitted and discharged by the magistrates’ court in George Town today.
Magistrate Nadratun Naim Saidi ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against businessman Yeoh Ee Seong, 48; Koay Beng Ghee, 38; Teh Eng Tat, 38; and Ng Weng Kooi, 43.
She said the attack lasted less than 10 seconds and CCTV footage showed the assailants wearing masks, making identification unreliable. The complainant, lawyer Beh Hong Shien, identified one of the accused based on his “puffy eyes” and prominent eye bags, which Nadratun called unsafe.
Another witness claimed to have identified an attacker based on body posture while watching through a rear-view mirror from several cars away. Nadratun rejected this evidence.
The CCTV footage did not clearly show the attackers’ faces, while clothing seized by police did not match what was seen in the footage, FMT noted. As for Yeoh, the prosecution showed only a possible motive arising from a court dispute with Beh, but no evidence he planned, directed or helped carry out the attack.
Citing inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, Malay Mail reported that nine witnesses were called and 42 exhibits produced, yet the court found the evidence fell short. All four were acquitted and discharged, and their bail money was ordered to be returned.
Koay, Teh and Ng claimed trial in December 2024 to causing hurt to Beh, then 37, with a metal rod at Persiaran Karpal Singh at about 9.50am on 22 October that year. They were accused of committing the offence with another suspect who remains at large. Yeoh was subsequently charged with abetting the attack.
All four were charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 109, which provides for a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine, whipping, or any two of these punishments upon conviction.
