Kota Kinabalu: A 37-year-old restaurant owner was charged in court on Monday with murdering a man in Beaufort last year.
Hobalan N. Vello, was accused of committing the crime against Albert @ Recquel A Agang, 53, between 11.30pm on Dec 18, 2020 and 12.05am on Dec 19, 2020 outside the My Heaven Seafood restaurant in Beaufort.
No plea was recorded from Hobalan, who was brought before Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz, after the charge was read out to him.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Amirah Muhammad Ali applied for a new mention date pending the post mortem’s report and also offered no bail to the accused.
Counsel Flavian Henry, representing Hobalan on Monday, applied for bail on the grounds, among others that Hobalan is currently warded in the hospital here for spinal injury and needed to continue treatment for his injury.
Flavian also informed the court that Hobalan surrendered himself to the police here on March 1 this year.
The court set April 15 for mention of the case in Magistrate’s Court in Beaufort and ordered Hobalan to be remanded further.
Hobalan was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty on conviction.
Flavian together with counsel Ram Singh and Kimberly Ye represented Hobalan.
