SHAH ALAM: A 15-year-old boy, on trial for the murder of a female student at a secondary school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, last year, expressed remorse over the incident while testifying in the High Court here on Thursday (Aug 13).
The teenager, who was ordered to enter his defence after the prosecution established a prima facie case, chose to give an unsworn statement from the dock.
"He said he was sorry for what happened that caused the death and so on," defence lawyer Kitson Foong told reporters after the hearing before Judge Adlin Abdul Majid.
Earlier, Foong informed the court that the defence would rely on the expert testimony of a psychiatrist to support a claim of unsoundness of mind under Section 84 of the Penal Code.
Dr Ian Lloyd Anthony, from Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, was called as an expert witness under Section 45 of the Evidence Act 1950, to testify on the teenager's mental state, including the referral process, treatment and clinical findings.
Foong said the defence had questioned the expert on psychiatric terms, such as psychosis and schizophrenia, in addition to the written report already filed.
The final witness for today, the doctor, testified that the teenager had suffered from delusions and mental illness for about five years.
Foong added that the expert believed a long treatment gap could worsen mental illness, especially when it begins in childhood.
His testimony resumes this afternoon, including possible cross-examination, before the defence closes its case and presents submissions.
The teenager is charged with murdering a 16-year-old girl in a school toilet in Bandar Utama between 9.20am and 9.35am on Oct 14, 2025.
The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries the death penalty. However, under Section 97(1) of the Child Act 2001, the death penalty cannot be imposed on offenders under 18 if convicted.
Instead, under Section 97(2) of the same Act, the court may order the offender to be detained for a period determined by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Sultan, or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri. – Bernama
