Ex-model to be admitted to Hospital Bahagia

KUALA LUMPUR: Persana Avril Sollunda (pic), who is accused of stripping in public, has been ordered to undergo a month-long psychiatric evaluation.

On Friday, magistrate Nur A’minahtul Mardiah Md Nor ordered for Sollunda to be warded at Hospital Bahagia under section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which allows for those suspected of not being of sound mind to undergo observation and receive psychiatric treatment.

If Sollunda fails to turn up at Hospital Bahagia by the end of Friday, bail will be forfeited and a warrant of arrest will be issued, Nur A’minahtul Mardiah said.

Sollunda will undergo a month-long observation and will have to produce a psychiatric report from Hospital Bahagia at her next court mention on July 2.

The accused was absent at the Jalan Duta court for her re-mention earlier on Friday morning. She was ordered by Nur A’minahtul Mardiah to appear by noon.

Sollunda’s lawyer, Muhammad Nor Izzat Nordin, said that she was unwell when explaining her absence.

He also presented a letter from doctors at the Sungai Buloh hospital, where Sollunda has been receiving continuous psychiatric treatment since May 5.

She was discharged temporarily from the hospital on Thursday.

She is staying at the moment her brother’s house in Kota Damansara.

Nur A’minahtul Mardiah added that Sollunda could not be absent without leave of the court and that she had also failed to produce a Medical Certificate for Friday after being discharged the previous day.

The 32-year-old Sabahan was released from Kajang prison after a RM7,000 bail was posted by family members on May 5 when she maintained her not guilty plea.

On the same day, Sollunda was taken by relatives to the Sungai Buloh hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

Sollunda had made an earlier not guilty plea on April 28 to a charge under Section 294 of the Penal Code of committing an obscene act in public.

She had previously been warded at a psychiatric hospital in Kota Kinabalu.

The spa employee and part-time model was charged in a magistrate’s court on April 28 with stripping in public after failing to settle a bill of about RM18 at a chicken rice shop in Petaling Street.

She was charged with committing a lewd act in public when a video of her removing her shirt and bra went viral on social media.

Sollunda was detained on April 25 following a report of public indecency under section 509 of the Penal Code.

If found guilty, Sollunda would have faced up to three months’ jail or a fine or both.

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