The Shah Alam High Court has rejected the prosecution’s argument that a teenage boy deliberately planned for months before killing a 16-year-old schoolmate in Bandar Utama, finding that severe psychosis had impaired his ability to understand the nature and wrongfulness of his actions.
The full grounds of judgment, released on Sept. 23, detailed the court’s reasoning for acquitting the teenager on the grounds of unsoundness of mind. The incident occurred at SMK Bandar Utama 4 on Oct. 14, 2025.
Justice Adlin Abdul Majid said psychiatric evidence showed the teenager had suffered very early-onset schizophrenia that had developed from around the age of nine and remained untreated for about five years. The court accepted that his illness had progressed into severe psychosis by the time of the killing.
A key issue was whether evidence of preparation demonstrated rational intent. The prosecution pointed to writings, clothing and other preparations as evidence that the killing had been planned over an extended period.
The judge rejected that interpretation, saying the evidence showed that the alleged plan itself had developed within the teenager’s delusional system rather than through rational, real-world decision-making. She noted that he had not taken steps to escape, dispose of evidence or otherwise avoid detection after the incident.
Psychiatric evidence presented to the court said the teenager had developed an increasingly detached view of reality. He reportedly began referring to people around him as “NPCs”, a term from video games meaning non-player characters, and developed delusional beliefs involving the victim.
The court also heard that the teenager had experienced hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms. According to the psychiatric evidence, his condition improved after antipsychotic treatment, with hallucinations stopping and his delusions beginning to subside.
On Sept. 14, the High Court acquitted the teenager of the murder charge under Malaysia’s legal provisions concerning unsoundness of mind. He was ordered to be detained and treated at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak at the pleasure of the Sultan of Selangor.
Justice Adlin stressed that the acquittal did not mean the killing had not occurred or that the victim’s death was any less tragic. Rather, the court found that the teenager’s mental illness had deprived him of the capacity to understand the nature of the act at the time.
The judgment also highlighted concerns about untreated mental illness in children. The judge said signs of the teenager’s illness had appeared for years but had been interpreted as behavioural or disciplinary problems rather than symptoms requiring psychiatric intervention.
