The rape trial of a minor at an immigration detention centre in Sabah has been postponed to tomorrow pending the arrival in Kota Kinabalu of two deputy public prosecutors (DPPs) from Kuala Lumpur.

The trial was originally scheduled to begin today, three months after two General Operations Force lance corporals were charged with the alleged rape while the girl (dubbed Angelica by Filipino officials) was held at the Menggatal camp o­n suspicions of being an illegal immigrant.

The two men, who claimed trial, have been denied bail. If convicted, they are liable to a maximum 20 years in jail.

No Filipino witnesses

Contacted today, the Attorney-General's Chambers' head of prosecution Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden said the hearing was delayed because the DPPs assigned to the case had to attend the Judicial and Legal Service Officers Association meeting in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

"The two would have left for Sabah today. The trial should start tomorrow," he said when commenting o­n the progress of the case pending before the Kota Kinabalu sessions court.

Mohd Yusof also indicated that the trial is unlikely to involve the testimony of Filipino nationals who were among those held at the Menggatal camp with the minor.

In March, doubts arose over the strength of the prosecution's case after Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung said there were difficulties in getting Filipino witnesses to return to testify.

However, these fears were later dispelled by the AG's Chambers.

Mistaken identity

The high-profile case came about last August after the teenager was mistakenly deported to the southern Philippines city of Zamboanga along with thousands of other undocumented Filipino immigrants during a crackdown o­n illegal immigrants by Sabah authorities last September.

The rape claims sparked a diplomatic furore between Kuala Lumpur and Manila after Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued a sternly-worded letter to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The minor was found to be a Malaysian during a high-level police investigation into the allegations and subsequently returned to Sabah.

The girl, who was 13 when the alleged rapes were committed, has since turned 14. She has been placed under the care of state welfare services.