Teen acquitted of murdering 16-year-old schoolmate on grounds of insanity, sent for psychiatric care
A teenager has been acquitted of murdering his 16-year-old schoolmate, Yap Shing Xuen, in a fatal stabbing at a Malaysian school in October 2025.
The High Court found that the boy, now 15, was of unsound mind at the time of the incident and ordered the teenager to be sent to a psychiatric hospital.
He will remain there for treatment and supervision for a period to be determined by the Sultan of Selangor, Shin Min Daily News reported.
The order was made under Section 348 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which provides for the safe custody of persons acquitted on grounds of insanity.
The case, which made national headlines, was Malaysia’s first fatal school stabbing since the country gained independence.
Yap, a Form 4 student, was found dead in a toilet at a school in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Oct 14, 2025.
Her mother, Wong Lee Ping, later told reporters that her daughter had suffered more than 200 stab wounds, including injuries from her neck to her lungs and legs, reported The Star.
Police said at the time that they were awaiting the final forensic findings to verify the exact number of wounds.
Defence cited mental illness
The boy was 14 at the time of the incident.
He had earlier been found fit to stand trial after undergoing a three-month psychiatric assessment. Malay Mail reported that the assessment found he was capable of understanding the court proceedings and defending himself.
After the prosecution established a prima facie case on Aug 13, the High Court ordered the teenager to enter his defence.
His lawyers then relied on Section 84 of the Penal Code, arguing that he was of unsound mind when the stabbing occurred and was therefore incapable of knowing the nature of his actions or that they were wrong.
The defence called Dr Ian Lo Anthony, director of Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak, as an expert psychiatric witness.
According to Bernama, the psychiatrist testified that the teenager had suffered from delusions and mental illness for about five years.
The defence said his medical condition amounted to legal insanity at the time of the incident.
However, prosecutors argued the teenager was of sound mind, knew what he was doing and had planned the killing, reported Sinar Harian.
Teen expressed remorse
During his defence on Aug 13, the teenager chose to give an unsworn statement from the dock.
His lawyer, Kitson Foong, later told reporters that the teen had expressed remorse and apologised for what happened and the consequences that led to Yap’s death.
The High Court ultimately accepted that he was legally insane at the time of the incident and acquitted him of the murder charge.
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