Teen in Bandar Utama school murder acquitted, deemed of unsound mind
A 15-year-old boy charged with murder at a Bandar Utama school has been acquitted after the court found he was suffering from severe schizophrenia at the time of the incident. The judge ordered him to be detained at a hospital under the pleasure of the Selangor sultan until he is deemed fit to return to society.
Why it matters
This case highlights the intersection of juvenile justice, mental health, and legal accountability in Malaysia, specifically regarding the handling of minors with severe psychiatric conditions.
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.
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