Malaysia court acquits 15-year-old boy charged with stabbing schoolgirl to death in Bandar Utama after finding him mentally unsound

MALAYSIA: A Malaysian court has acquitted a 15-year-old boy charged with stabbing a 16-year-old schoolgirl to death at a secondary school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, after finding that he was of unsound mind when the incident occurred.

Shah Alam High Court judge Adlin Abdul Majid delivered the decision on Monday (14 September 2026), ruling that the defence had successfully established that the teenager was not of sound mind at the time of the incident.

The teenager was accused of stabbing the schoolgirl in a school toilet between 9.20am and 9.35am on 14 October 2025.

He was charged under Section 302 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, which covers murder.

Mental state central to the case

The defence relied on Section 84 of the Penal Code, which provides a defence where a person is found to be of unsound mind and unable to understand the nature of their actions or that what they were doing was wrong or contrary to law.

Defence lawyer Kitson Foong said the central issue in the case was the teenager’s mental state at the time of the incident, rather than whether he had physically carried out the act.

The prosecution called 11 witnesses during the trial, while the defence called two witnesses, including the teenager and psychiatrist Dr Ian Lloyd Anthony from Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak.

Dr Lloyd testified that the teenager has schizophrenia and had experienced delusions and mental illness for about five years.

The psychiatrist also said that a prolonged gap in treatment could worsen mental illness, particularly when the condition begins during childhood.

The court ultimately found that the defence had successfully established temporary insanity under Section 84.

The prosecution failed to rebut the defence, resulting in the teenager’s acquittal.

Earlier in the trial, the teenager had also expressed remorse over the incident while giving an unsworn statement from the dock, according to an earlier report by The Online Citizen.

The expression of remorse formed part of the earlier proceedings, but the court’s decision to acquit him was based on its finding about his mental state when the stabbing occurred.

Trial and psychiatric assessments

The teenager was initially charged at the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court on 22 October 2025.

No plea was recorded because murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

On 30 January 2026, the prosecution obtained consent from the Attorney General’s Chambers under Section 177A of the Criminal Procedure Code to transfer the case to the Shah Alam High Court.

This followed a psychiatric assessment which found the teenager fit to stand trial.

He subsequently pleaded not guilty on 12 February after the murder charge was read to him in Mandarin before Judge Adlin.

The trial began on 3 August 2026 and was conducted in camera because the accused was a minor.

On 13 August, the court ordered the teenager to enter his defence after finding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case, meaning it had presented sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to the defence stage.

The prosecution had called several witnesses, including three students, teachers, the victim’s mother, a pathologist and a senior investigating officer.

What happens after the acquittal

Despite the acquittal, the teenager will not simply be released.

Judge Adlin ordered him to be detained at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta under the authority of the Sultan of Selangor for treatment.

In Malaysia, an order to be detained at the pleasure of the Ruler can apply when a person is acquitted because of mental incapacity. It allows the person to remain in a psychiatric facility rather than being immediately released following the acquittal.

The teenager will receive medication and counselling at the facility until medical authorities determine that he is fit to return to society.

Judge Adlin also cautioned the teenager about the seriousness of the case and told him not to take his second chance at freedom for granted, while reminding him of the life that had been lost.

Child offender provisions

Because the teenager was 15 when the offence occurred, he is also subject to Malaysia’s laws governing children in conflict with the law.

Although Section 302 of the Penal Code provides for the death penalty for murder, Section 97(1) of the Child Act 2001 prohibits the death penalty from being imposed on a person who was under 18 when the offence was committed.

If a child is convicted of an offence carrying the death penalty, Section 97(2) provides for detention for a period determined by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan or Yang di-Pertua Negeri, depending on the applicable circumstances.

In this case, however, the teenager was acquitted after the court found that he was of unsound mind when the stabbing occurred.

The case therefore ends with an acquittal, but the teenager remains in psychiatric care under the court’s order while his condition is assessed and treated.