A Malaysian teenager accused of killing a female schoolmate has been acquitted after a court determined that he was mentally unsound when the fatal attack occurred.
The boy, who was 14 at the time, had been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen, who was stabbed to death inside a toilet at their secondary school near Kuala Lumpur.
The case attracted widespread attention across Malaysia and fuelled concerns over the possible impact of social media and online content on young people.
Police had earlier indicated that social media might have influenced the teenager.
The incident later contributed to calls for tighter restrictions on children’s access to digital platforms.
The accused, whose identity is protected under Malaysian law because he remains a minor, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
During proceedings, his lawyers acknowledged that he had killed Yap but argued that he was suffering from severe mental illness and should therefore be cleared on grounds of insanity.
A psychiatrist called by the defence testified that the teenager had schizophrenia and had experienced mental health problems and delusions since he was nine.
His condition reportedly deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic and after he resumed attending school.
His legal team also said he would require lifelong medication to control his symptoms.
On Monday, the judge acquitted him but ordered that he be placed in a psychiatric facility for treatment and supervision.
He will remain there until medical authorities determine that he is safe to return to the community.
He is also expected to undergo regular assessments, potentially on an annual basis.
A defence lawyer said the teenager showed little emotion after the decision but understood the seriousness of the proceedings.
The hearings were conducted behind closed doors, preventing journalists and members of the public from attending.
The incident generated further controversy after police reportedly recovered a note from the teenager when he was arrested. Its contents were later leaked online and widely shared.
The case was also compared by some members of the public to Netflix’s Adolescence, a drama involving a young boy who kills a female classmate and examines the influence of online radicalisation.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously faced questions over the killing and other incidents of violence in schools.
Local media quoted him as linking many such cases to mobile phones and social networking platforms while promising stronger safeguards.
The government has since introduced measures aimed at shielding minors from harmful online material.
From June, Malaysia prohibited children below 16 from creating accounts on major social media services.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong