The trial of a 13-year - old boy charged with the murder...

The trial of a 13-year - old boy charged with the murder of his tuition teacher's 11-year-old daughter commenced with a High Court direction that only those concerned with the case could be in court. The boy, seated outside the dock clad in yellow T-shirt and brown khakis, was charged in the Magistrate's Cou rt on June 7 with the murder of the girl by stabbing her with a sharp object at her house here between 3.30pm and 4.30pm, on May 30. Justice Datuk Ahmad Maarop ruled that only members of court like lawyers, the boy's family, the victim's family and credible members of the press could be in court to hear the proceedings. Immediately after the ruling, a few people walked out of the court including a group of young boys and girls who were seated in the public gallery of the court since 9 this morning. Justice Ahmad made the ruling in light of the provision under the Child Act 2001 that proceedings were not open to the public but he also took into consideration that the boy is being tried under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death sentence. He also ruled that the press was prohibited from publishing any information including the boy's name, address, school, the victim particulars and photographs that could lead to their identification. Karpal Singh made the application on grounds that the trial could only commence if it was properly constituted because the procedure of the court would go by the provisions of the Child Act and certain variations of the Criminal Procedure Code. He said that under the provisions of the Child Act, the death sentence could not be imposed on a child and therefore the court had no jurisdiction to hear the trial.