FOUR Vietnamese boat people who are needed to testify for defendants in the long-running Sek Kong arson-murder trial no longer wish to remain in closed camps, but to return home, the High Court has heard.
Ho Van Hiep, Lai A Loc, and husband and wife Than Phu Tho and Le Thi Hong Van, were all remanded until next Thursday by Deputy Judge Yam for their lawyers to take full instructions.
Counsel for the four John McLanachan said they might be willing to remain if they were allowed bail.
Three other defence witnesses, Pham Si Dung, Vuong Cam Phu and Pham Khanh, are now on bail on condition that they live at the Kai Tak Vietnamese migrant transit centre.
The court was told last month the alternative to bail was remanding the boat people in jail custody as, if they stayed in the detention centre having volunteered to go back, the Director of Immigration would be obliged to send them back as soon as possible.