SHAH ALAM – The magistrates’ court here today ordered a lorry driver charged with murdering his Thai girlfriend to undergo a psychiatric examination at Hospital Bahagia Tg Rambutan, Ulu Kinta, Perak.
V. Nathan, 37, committed the crime by pushing the woman off the 23rd floor of a condominium in Setia Alam.
Magistrate Mohamad Redza Azhar Rezali made the ruling after allowing lawyer Sivahnanthan Ragava’s application for Nathan to undergo psychiatric evaluation as the accused is believed to be mentally unstable.
The court also set June 7 to get an update on the accused’s psychiatric report.
Earlier, Sivahnanthan, who made the application under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, told the court that it was difficult for him to obtain his client’s instructions as he was not responsive.
“My client was involved in a motor vehicle accident in 2018, during which he suffered a mild head injury resulting in intracranial bleed and pneumocranium.
“I am worried that he will do something to himself in prison. Hence, I humbly request that this honourable court send him to a psychiatric examination,” said the counsel.
The lawyer also produced the medical memo of the accused, issued by Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang to the court.
Since deputy public prosecutor Nurul Farah Sofea Norazman did not object to the matter, the magistrate then ordered the accused to undergo psychiatric examination for one month.
Nathan was charged with killing Mawika Lumyai, 32, at a condominium in Jalan Setia Dagang AH U13/AH, Setia Alam, here at 10.02pm on February 28.
The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, provides the death penalty or imprisonment for up to 40 years and 12 strokes of the cane, if not sentenced to death, upon conviction. – April 19, 2024