M'sia boy, 15, acquitted of murdering girl, 16, 'thought he was God' & 'heard voices': Defence lawyer

In September 2025, a Malaysian court acquitted a 15-year-old boy of murdering his 16-year-old schoolmate at a secondary school in Bandar Utama. The High Court ruled that the boy was of unsound mind during the incident. The judge ordered the boy to be detained and treated at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak at the Sultan of Selangor's discretion.

The boy's lawyer, Kitson Foong, told reporters that the defence successfully established the defence of insanity, while the prosecution failed to rebut it. The court will release the boy once a psychiatric report confirms he can reintegrate into society without posing a threat. Forensic psychiatrist Ian Lloyd Anthony testified that the boy suffered from severe schizophrenia and believed he was God and heard voices.

The trial, which began on August 3, 2026, had 11 prosecution witnesses, including the boy's elder brother, and two defence witnesses: the boy and Ian Lloyd. The defence lawyer confirmed that the boy understood the proceedings, which were translated into Mandarin for him. The victim's mother was present in court but left through a different exit to avoid media attention.

The boy acknowledged taking a life but expressed gratitude for the court's second chance. The victim's family was not insulted by the decision, as Malaysian law recognizes that children below 18 can be treated and rehabilitated. The boy pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, which carries the death penalty or a jail term of 30 to 40 years and 12 strokes of the cane.

However, the death penalty cannot be imposed on a child who commits an offence while below 18. If convicted, the person can only be detained at the pleasure of the Sultan.