Accused Say No Intention To Kill Couple In Exorcism Ritual

An Al-Arqam follower who is charged with murdering a couple admitted in the High Court here today that he had hit the victims with a piece of wood, crash helmet and mop handle to exorcise them. The accused Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Razak, said he, however, had no intention of causing death to the couple as they were his uncle and aunt, and was unaware that his action during the exorcism would cause their deaths. Muhammad Ilyas, the first accused in the case, said this from a written statement when making his defence against the charge of murdering Mohd Ibrahim Kader Mydin, 48, and Rosina SM Mydin Pillay, 42, at house No 5-7C, Block A, Seri Sarawak Flats, Jalan Kenanga, here at noon and 8pm on Oct 1, 2008. He is charged with committing the offence with his younger brother Muhammad Fauzi Abdul Razak, 22, and the couple's son Muhammad Nizam Muhammad Ibrahim, 21, under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death sentence upon conviction. "I had hit my uncle with a helmet and a piece of wood from a broken table. He did not protest, cry or say that he was in pain. "I also asked my aunt to sit on the floor and hit her with a mop handle, the helmet and a detached table until she bled," Muhammad Ilyas said from the dock. He said after the house had been cleaned of the blood spots, he ordered Muhammad Fauzi to pour hot water over the couple's motionless body to revive them. "I had no intention of causing the death of my uncle and aunt as they were among the people closest to me and we loved each other. I only wanted to do good for them."Nobody, including my uncle and aunt, had restrained me and I only knew that they had died when the police came to arrest me," he said. Muhammad Fauzi, in his defence, said he was not directly involved in the treatment process for his uncle and aunt. "I had no intention of committing it (the offence) or to injure them. I believe Muhammad Ilyas too did not have a motive as the victims did not cry in pain or fight back," he said. The couple's son (Muhammad Nizam) also told the court that he had no intention of killing or injuring his parents. "Who would have the heart to kill their own parents? That whole time, I had no control over myself and it was as though I was under a spell. "There was no pact or conspiracy among the three of us to kill or cause serious injuries to my parents or anyone else in the house," said Muhammad Nizam. In today's proceeding, the court also heard the testimony of defence witness, consultant forensic psychiatrist from Hospital Bahagia in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak, Rabaiyah Mohd Salleh, that the first accused had a mental problem called effective confusion. She said from the medical examination conducted on him on Oct 15, 2008, Muhammad Ilyas was found to be delusional and he was convinced that he could bring people back from the dead. "I conclude that Muhammad Ilyas has a mental illness and during the incident, he was not of sound mind and did not realise the consequences of his action," she said. As for the other two accused, she confirmed that they did not have a mental illness like Mohd Ilyas. The hearing before Judicial Commissioner Azman Abdullah will continue on Jan 15.