Malaysian boy acquitted for murder of schoolgirl on grounds of insanity

Malaysian boy cleared of schoolgirl murder on insanity grounds

A Malaysian teenage boy accused in the widely reported murder of a female schoolmate has been found not guilty, after the judge concluded that he was mentally unsound at the time of the incident.

He had stabbed Yap Shing Xuen to death in a toilet at their secondary school on the outskirts of the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The killing of the 16-year-old girl shocked Malaysia and prompted discussion about the impact of social media on children.

Police had earlier said they believed social media may have played a role in influencing the boy, who was 14 at the time.

The case was widely seen as having pushed authorities to restrict children's access to social media, a move that began earlier this year.

The boy, who cannot be named under Malaysian law because he is still a minor, had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

At trial, defence lawyers did not dispute that the boy killed the girl, but said he had struggled with poor mental health for years and sought his acquittal on insanity grounds.

A psychiatrist called as an expert witness said the boy had schizophrenia and had experienced mental illness and delusions since the age of nine.

His condition was said to have deteriorated during the pandemic and after he eventually returned to school. His lawyers said he would need medication for the rest of his life to control his symptoms.

On Monday, the judge ordered that the boy be acquitted, but also directed that he be detained and treated at a psychiatric hospital.

He will remain there until he is considered fit to return to society, and is likely to undergo yearly assessments.

A defence lawyer told reporters on Monday that after hearing the verdict, the boy seemed "neutral in emotion, but he understands what is going on, [that] it's a very serious matter".

The trial and verdict hearings were held behind closed doors, meaning the public and media were barred from attending.

The case has deeply shocked Malaysia and fuelled a nationwide debate over the harmful effects of social media on children.

Much of that discussion was sparked by a note police found on the boy when he was arrested, which was leaked online and widely shared.

Some people compared the case with the Netflix series Adolescence, which included a plot about a young boy killing a female schoolmate and examined the issue of online radicalisation.

Last year, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was asked about the case and other recent incidents of violence in schools.

He was quoted by local media as saying that "almost all of these issues stem from the use of mobile phones and social media", and promised to consider tougher measures.

Authorities have since introduced new rules that they say will protect children and reduce their exposure to harmful online content.

Since June, Malaysia has banned all children under 16 from having accounts on major social media platforms.