KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court ordered a mental evaluation for a man who pleaded guilty to murdering his elderly parents in their Sungai Penchala home last year.
Judge K. Muniandy said that an evaluation is necessary to confirm that Afendi Muhammad Agus @ Muhamed Ali, 43, was of sound mind when he pleaded guilty in September.
During today's proceedings, Muniandy, set to deliver Afendi's sentence, first asked deputy public prosecutor Nur Aqilah Ishak if a mental evaluation had been conducted during investigations.
She told the court that senior investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Mohd Hasni Hussin had confirmed that Afendi was of sound mind during the probe.
Muniandy then summoned Hasni, a senior officer from the Brickfields police headquarters Criminal Investigations Department, who confirmed that Afendi was in good health.
"When he was remanded for six days, I visited him every morning and night. He was in a good state and there was no mental disturbance," he said.
Afendi's lawyer, Mohd Ruzaini Zulkifli, said his client appeared to be normal whenever they communicated, but did not object to a mental evaluation.
"He understands my questions and answers them. That is my personal context," he said.
Muniandy ordered Afendi to be referred to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta.
"I think he should be sent for a mental evaluation before we accept his guilty plea.
"State in the application that he wants to plead guilty. The court seeks to confirm his mental state to determine whether the plea can be accepted or if the case should proceed to trial.
"This is a serious crime, which provides the death penalty or a maximum of 40 years jail and 12 lashes," he said.
Aqilah did not object in the interest of justice.
The court set Jan 27 for the mental evaluation report.
Afendi was accused of murdering his father, Muhammad Agus@Muhamed Ali Omar, 82, and his mother Darlisma Njatu Saleh, 72.
The offence was committed between 7.10pm and 7.20pm at their home in Kampung Sungai Penchala, Jalan Penchala Hilir, in Brickfields on Dec 9 last year.
Afendi faces the death penalty or a jail term of up to 40 years and no fewer than 12 strokes of the rotan upon conviction.
He was arrested at the Penchala Tunnel near the Sprint Highway at 10.30pm on the day of the killings.
Police had received reports of a fight and found the couple dead in their house.
The accused had a history of nine drug-related charges and was reportedly out on bail at the time of the incident.