Need to explore whether Muhdalena fit to stand trial, says lawyer

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TRIAL FIXED: Muhdalena leaves the Sessions Court wearing a mask. — Bernama photo

PUTRAJAYA: The mental capacity of Muhdalena Ahmad, who has been charged with committing criminal intimidation and possession of a sword, may have to be evaluated before her trial begins.

Her lawyer, M Visvanathan, said there was a need to explore whether she was fit to stand trial.

He said, if necessary, he would make the application for her to undergo psychiatric evaluation at the appropriate time.

“I don’t have enough facts at the moment. I’ll have to conduct more interviews and discussions with her before deciding to make the application for her to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

“If she’s found to be (of) unsound (mind), I would make a recommendation to the Attorney-General to drop the charges,” Visvanathan said after the case came up for case management at the Putrajaya Sessions Court here yesterday.

Visvanathan told reporters that he was at the Sessions Court on another matter yesterday, when Muhdalena, 28, disclosed that she did not have a lawyer to represent her, adding that he was representing her on a legal aid basis.

Earlier, the court fixed Oct 11 and 12 for trial. Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam also fixed Sept 28 for another case management.

In addition, he requested both the prosecution and defence to conduct a pre-trial conference before the trial.

Mohamad Kamil also asked Muhdalena whether she still claimed trial to the two charges preferred on her, to which she replied in the affirmative.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kalmizah Salleh told the court that the prosecution had handed over several documents pertaining to the case to Muhdalena, and would submit other documents to her lawyer before the trial started.

After proceedings in the Sessions Court ended, Muhdalena, wearing a yellow Power Rangers mask, was seen exiting the court with her father.

She had worn a red mask at a previous court appearance.

Muhdalena, of Kota Damansara, was charged on July 16 from her hospital bed in Putrajaya Hospital where she was warded after she was shot in the right thigh.

She is alleged to have committed criminal intimidation by threatening to cause grievous hurt to auxiliary policeman Ridzuan Megat Ahmad in the vicinity of Complex B of the Prime Minister’s Department here at 2.30pm on July 9.

The charge against her under Section 506 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to seven years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Muhdalena, a graduate of the International Islamic University, was also charged with having in her possession, a sword at the same place and time.

The charge under Section 7 (1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 carries a jail term of up to two years and a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.

She is currently on bail of RM10,000 in one surety, pending her trial.

On July 9, Khalil Afandi Abd Hamid, 47, who claimed to be ‘Imam Mahadi’ (the messiah to come at the time of the Last Judgement to save the world), was shot by police when he ran amok with a samurai sword at Complex B of the Prime Minister’s Department here.

He succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

Muhdalena was alleged to have been with him during the incident. — Bernama