KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — The Shah Alam Magistrates’ Court was told today that a lorry driver charged with killing his girlfriend by pushing the Thai woman from the 23rd floor of a condominium in February is fit to stand trial.
Lawyer Sivahnanthan Ragava, representing V. Nathan, 37, confirmed this when contacted by Bernama, the national news agency reported today.
“Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Farah Sofea Norazman informed Magistrate Mohamad Redza Azhar Rezali that, according to a psychiatric evaluation report from Hospital Bahagia Tanjung Rambutan, Perak, the accused was mentally stable at the time of the incident, thus fit to be tried.”
“The court has set October 24 for the next mention of the case,” said the lawyer, assisted by Cyrus Tiu Foo Woei.
In April, the court had ordered the accused to undergo a psychiatric evaluation following a request from Sivahnanthan, who indicated that the accused had difficulty following instructions and cooperating in the murder proceedings.
Nathan faces a charge of murdering Mawika Lumyai, 32, at a condominium on Jalan Setia Dagang AH U13/AH, Setia Alam, at 10.02am on February 28.
The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries the death penalty or, if not sentenced to death, imprisonment for up to 40 years and 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.