KUALA LUMPUR: The psychiatric examination of a lorry driver who pushed his Thai girlfriend off the 23rd floor of a condominium here has been extended for one month.
Lawyer Sivahnanthan Ragava, who acted for V. Nathan, 37, said a specialist doctor from Hospital Bahagia Tanjong Rambutan applied for the one-month extension to determine the accused's state of mental health.
"This extension was allowed under Section 342(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code as the doctor requires more time to assess the accused.
"The case was supposed to be mentioned before Magistrate Mohamad Redza Azhar Rezal in the Shah Alam Court on Friday (June 7) for an update on the psychiatric report. However, it was vacated to Aug 9," said Sivahnanthan, who was assisted by lawyer Cyrus Tiu Foo Wei.
In April, the court ordered the accused to undergo psychiatric evaluation after allowing the application by Sivahnanthan that the accused had shown difficulty following instructions and cooperating in proceedings for the murder charge he is facing.
Nathan was charged with killing Mawika Lumyai, 32, at a condominium in Jalan Setia Dagang AH U13/AH, Setia Alam, at 10.02pm on Feb 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. – Bernama
