Teen in Bandar Utama school murder acquitted, deemed of unsound mind

Teen in Bandar Utama school murder acquitted, deemed of unsound mind

3 hours ago

FMT Reporters

The 15-year-old is nonetheless detained at the pleasure of the Selangor sultan at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak, where he will undergo treatment.

The Shah Alam High Court found the defence had proven that the accused was incapable of knowing the nature of the act or that it was contrary to law at the time the murder was committed.

PETALING JAYA:

The teenage boy charged with killing a 16-year-old schoolmate at a school in Bandar Utama last year was acquitted today after the Shah Alam High Court ruled that he was of unsound mind when the offence was committed.

Justice Adlin Abdul Majid nonetheless ordered the 15-year-old to be detained at the pleasure of the Selangor sultan at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak, where he will undergo treatment, Berita Harian reported.

The boy’s lawyer, Kitson Foong, said the court found the defence had proven that the accused was incapable of knowing the nature of the act or that it was contrary to law at the time the murder was committed.

The boy was charged with fatally stabbing the victim in the girls’ toilet of the school between 9.20am and 9.35am on Oct 14 last year.

The murder charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code is punishable by the death penalty, or 30 to 40 years in prison and at least 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

However, Section 97(1) of the Child Act 2001 states that the death penalty cannot be imposed on a child below the age of 18.

In January, the 15-year-old was declared fit to stand trial and able to mount his defence after completing a psychiatric assessment at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta.

The murder trial began on Aug 3 with proceedings held in camera since the case involved a minor. On Aug 13, he was ordered to enter his defence.