A 15-year-old student pleads not guilty to murdering a 16-year-old schoolmate in a secondary school toilet, with trial dates set for July.

PETALING JAYA: A 15-year-old male student has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 16-year-old schoolmate in a shocking stabbing at a Bandar Utama secondary school last October.

The accused, then in a Form One transitional class, entered his plea in Mandarin before Justice Adlin Abdul Majid at the Shah Alam High Court.

Proceedings were held in camera, with only the teenager’s family permitted, as the case involves a juvenile.

According to the charge, the student allegedly stabbed a Form Three classmate in the girls’ toilet at the national secondary school between 9.20am and 9.35am on Oct 14, last year.

The offence is punishable under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or, if not imposed, life imprisonment of 30 to 40 years and up to 12 strokes of the cane.

Deputy public prosecutors Aqharie Durranie Aziz and Zamariah Zarifah Aris are leading the prosecution.

Kitson Foong, defence counsel for the teenager, was reported as saying his client understands the charge and will contest it.

“The court has fixed March 6 for the next case management, during which trial dates will be set,” he said.

Foong added that the trial is expected to last around 14 days in July, with only defence and prosecution teams allowed in court to prevent delays.

Watching-brief counsel from the Malaysian Bar and Suhakam were permitted in chambers while counsel for the victim’s family were barred as family members may be called as witnesses.

The accused is currently held at the Puncak Alam Correctional Centre, a juvenile facility.

Media reports previously stated that the victim was found critically injured in the school toilet and later died in hospital.

Police arrested the suspect the same day and seized two weapons believed to have been used in the attack.

 The Sun Malaysia