Court Orders Psychiatric Evaluation Of Honda Jazz Driver Over UniSZA Student Death

KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- A Honda Jazz driver, charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) student, has been ordered by the Magistrates' Court here today to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Permai Hospital, Johor Bahru.

Magistrate Noor Mazrinie Mahmood granted an order for the accused, Mohd Izuddin Zakaria, 32, to be referred to the hospital under Section 342(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Anith Nabilah Rusli made the application for the evaluation after informing the court that the accused is currently on psychotropic medication.

The accused, who was represented by National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Ummi Sharmimi Harun, did not enter a plea after the charge was read.

Mohd Izuddin is accused of driving a Honda Jazz dangerously on a public road, resulting in an accident that caused the death of Syakirah Hanan Mazli, 25, at the traffic lights on Jalan Kemajuan here at 1.55 pm on Jan 5. 

He was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a sentence of between five and 10 years, a fine of between RM20,000 and RM50,000, and disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence for at least five years from the date of conviction. 

The court denied the accused bail and suspended all classes of his driving licence pending the disposal of the case. The next case mention was set for Feb 12. 

In the incident, second-semester Postgraduate Diploma in Education student Syakirah Hanan died at the scene after her Perodua Viva was struck head-on by the Honda Jazz.

-- BERNAMA