The Privy Council's decision in Haw Tua Tau v PP restated the burden of proof at the close of the prosecution's case from that enunciated previously in the Singapore and Malaysian Courts and, in so doing, created a controversy which has not yet been put to rest even after the recent decision of the Singapore Court Of Criminal Appeal in Abdul Ghani v PP. This article attempts to discuss the inherent problems in these cases and the difficulties faced by the judge, counsel and accused at the close of the prosecution case.