PETALING JAYA: The High Court in Shah Alam has acquitted a 15-year-old boy of murder on the grounds of insanity over the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Bandar Utama last year.
Judge Adlin Abdul Majid ruled that the defence had successfully established temporary insanity under Section 84 of the Penal Code, Sinar Harian reported.
Defence counsel Kitson Foong said the court ordered the teenager to be held at a psychiatric hospital for treatment at the pleasure of the Ruler, following testimony from Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta psychiatrist Dr Ian Lloyd confirming the boy has schizophrenia.
"The court accepted that the accused was not of sound mind during the incident. Consequently, the defence successfully raised Section 84, which the prosecution failed to rebut," Foong said after proceedings on Monday (Sept 14).
Foong noted that the central issue throughout the trial was not whether the boy committed the physical act, but his mental state at the time.
The prosecution called 11 witnesses during the trial, while the defence presented two, including the teenager and Dr Lloyd.
Foong added that Judge Adlin cautioned the youth about the severity of his actions before ordering his detention.
"The judge reminded him never to take for granted his second chance at freedom and to always remember the life he took," Foong said.
The teenager will undergo medication and counselling at the psychiatric facility until medical authorities assess him as fit to rejoin society.
