{
  "id": 6746306,
  "title": "'Exorcism' murder: Court acquits healer who suffered from schizophrenia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/exorcism-murder-court-acquits-healer-who-suffered-from-schizophrenia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T10:14:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1530673/exorcism-murder-court-acquits-healer-who-suffered-schizophrenia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Shah Alam - On a tragic July evening in 2022, a former beautician turned traditional healer, 55-year-old Che Hong Chiew, allegedly killed her client, 41-year-old Lim Sin Hue, during a ritual meant to exorcise a ghost. The High Court acquitted Che, ruling that she was mentally unsound during the violent episode caused by her schizophrenia. Instead of sentencing her to death or imprisonment, the court ordered her to be detained at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak at the discretion of the Sultan of Selangor. The prosecution has since filed an appeal against the ruling.\n\nThe incident began when Lim, suffering from severe abdominal pain and believing a baby was inside her stomach, sought help from Che after being recommended by a friend. The two agreed to a week-long Buddhist healing ritual at Che's home in Pandan Perdana, Ampang. On July 27, 2022, Lim and her mother arrived at Che's residence, where the ritual grew increasingly violent. Locked inside the home, Che lay atop her daughter, punching, biting, and stomping on Lim's abdomen. Lim's mother watched in horror as Che pressed a hot, steaming bowl against her daughter's neck and mouth. Despite Lim's mother's attempts to intervene, Che insisted the violent beatings were necessary to drive out the demonic disturbance.\n\nChe claimed Lim had died during the ritual, apologizing and promising to care for the grieving mother for the rest of her life. A post-mortem examination confirmed Lim had died from severe blunt force trauma, with injuries to her face, chest, abdomen, and limbs. During the trial, the court heard how Che's life had spiraled out of control following the death of her youngest child in an accident and a 2018 divorce. Che had become convinced she could see, hear, and speak to her deceased child and later believed her child possessed her body. She claimed two spirits took over her body and mind, giving her energy and strength during the assault. Psychiatric expert Dr. Isabel Shamini David testified that Che's condition was active delusion due to schizophrenia. The judicial commissioner's grounds of judgment noted that while evidence proved Lim died at Che's hands, her mind was severely fractured by unresolved trauma.",
  "summary": "SHAH ALAM: Driven by grief after losing her youngest child, a former beautician turned traditional healer fell deeper into delusion, eventually believing her deceased child had possessed her to grant her spiritual healing powers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}