PETALING JAYA: The 14-year-old student at the centre of a high-profile school murder that shocked the nation has been charged in the magistrate’s court, here today with killing his 16-year-old schoolmate, Yap Shing Xuen.
The charge was read before Magistrate Amira Sariaty Zainal, but no plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The proceedings were held behind closed doors, as the case involves a juvenile.
According to the charge sheet, the teenager allegedly committed the offence between 9.20am and 9.35am on Oct 14 in the female students’ toilet on the ground floor of the Bandar Utama school.
He is accused of causing the death of Yap, an offence punishable under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty.
However, as the accused is a minor, he faces a maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment and not less than 12 strokes of the cane if convicted.
The accused was represented by lawyer Anwar Ezzad Zainal, while the prosecution team comprised Deputy Public Prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, Aqharie Durranie Aziz and Nur Sabrina Zubairi.
The court fixed Nov 21 for case management.
Earlier, the accused arrived at the Petaling Jaya Court Complex in an unmarked police van at about 8.30am.
He was escorted through an alternative entrance to avoid the waiting media.
Yap, a Form Three student, was found dead in the SMK Bandar Utama (4) washroom on Oct 14 after allegedly being attacked by a male schoolmate.
The incident triggered nationwide outrage and calls for stricter safety measures in schools.
