Penang prosecution director Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim said this was because the prison authorities are vaccinating inmates and are unable to bring them to court.

He said this was conveyed to the High Court via Zoom in a case management today. Nhaveen’s murder trial was supposed to take place from Monday to Friday this week.

Khairul said all inmates would be only brought for their court dates two weeks after their second dose.

High Court judicial commissioner Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid then set Dec 22 to 24 and Dec 27 to 31 after vacating this week’s trial dates.

The trial came to a halt on Aug 6 after a defence lawyer requested an early adjournment fearing the rise of Covid-19 cases near his firm in King Street. The court was scheduled for a full-day hearing but was cut short to half a day.

The trial began this year on May 4 for two days and was supposed to continue on June 29 and 30, July 6 and on Aug 5 and 6.

The June dates had to be skipped after a star witness of the prosecution, T Previin, went missing.

However, Previin made his reappearance in court on Aug 5, claiming he had been in hiding following alleged threats from supporters of the accused.

Police had arrested three men over the threats and offered Previin protection, which he rejected.

J Ragesuthan, S Gokulan, both 22, and two others are charged with the murder of Nhaveen on June 19, 2017. The other two were juveniles when they were charged.

They are accused of murdering Nhaveen near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre, Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor, between 11pm and midnight.

The accused are currently remanded at Penang Prison.