IPOH: The High Court here today set nine days beginning March 30 next year to hear the case involving Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong Choo Kiong, who is charged with raping an Indonesian maid.
Judge Hashim Hamzah set March 30 to April 9 to hear the case following a decision by the Federal Court last Dec 15 to allow the case to be transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court.
A total of 23 witnesses are expected to be called to testify, with 20 of them from the prosecution.
Earlier, the charge was read out to Yong again and he pleaded not guilty.
Yong, who is former Perak housing, local government, public transport, non-Muslim affairs and New Villages committee chairman, was charged with raping the 23-year-old Indonesian maid at a house in Meru Desa Park, between 8.15pm and 9.15pm on July 7, 2019.
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Ainul Wardah Shahidan requested for an Indonesian interpreter who is conversant in the Sumbawa dialect, for the proceeding.
Yong is represented by lawyer Rajpal Singh, while lawyer Azura Alias is holding a watching brief for the victim and the Indonesian embassy.
The court allowed Yong bail of RM15,000 in one surety.