KOTA KINABALU: A 72-year-old man charged with murdering a woman whose dismembered body was found in Sepanggar will stand trial over 17 days between December this year and May 2027.
Judicial Commissioner Dayang Ellyn Narisa Abang Ahmad fixed the trial of Piluta Samad for Dec 14 to 16 and Dec 18 this year; Feb 15 to 19 and Feb 24 to 26 next year; and May 24 to 28, 2027.
The prosecution is expected to call 35 witnesses during the trial.
The court also fixed Nov 16 for the second pre-trial case management and ordered witness statements to be served by Nov 30.
Piluta pleaded not guilty to the murder charge at the High Court on Sept 14.
He was charged with murdering Hamidah Husin @ Lisa, 44, between 6pm and 7pm on Feb 11, 2026, at an unnumbered house in Kampung Sri Kenangan, Jalan Sepanggar.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment for between 30 and 40 years. If the death penalty is not imposed, a male offender below the age of 50 is also liable to a minimum of 12 strokes of the rotan.
Piluta was first charged in the magistrates' court on Feb 27, but no plea was recorded.
The case was transferred to the High Court on Sept 8 after Piluta underwent a mental assessment requested by his legal team.
A hospital report dated July 23 found Piluta fit to stand trial and confirmed that he was not suffering from any mental illness.
Sabah prosecution director Naziah Mokhtar and deputy public prosecutors Samira Khalili and Ronnie Anthony appeared for the prosecution.
Piluta was represented by lawyers Datuk Ram Singh, Joan Goh, Ian Vun, Prem Elmer Ganasan and Prabjit Singh Gill.
The accused will remain in remand pending the disposal of the case.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd