PETALING JAYA – A magistrate's court here has ordered a son of a former political aide to be placed at a mental hospital after he was found to be of unsound mind.

Muhammad Ezra Rusli, 28, whose father was a former private secretary to the previous prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is accused of possessing a hand grenade.

Muhammad Ezra also faces two charges of threatening his father, Rusli Adbul Malik, 62, with a  Glock pistol and threatening to cause injury.

He is accused of committing the offences at a house at C2-67 D’Shire Villa, Jalan Camar 4, Kota Damansara, at between 3.30pm and 5pm on Sept 8, last year.

At the sultan's pleasure

Magistrate Aishah Hijriah Arshad ordered him t be placed at Hotel Bahagia in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak.

She decided that Muhammad Ezra had committed the offences as charged and after taking into consideration the medical report prepared by the hospital, the court was satisfied that at the time of the incident, the accused was mentally unsound.

Aishah issued an order under Section 348(1) of the Penal Code to place Muhammad Ezra at the hospital at the pleasure of the Sultan of Selangor.

The decision was read by registrar Latifah Ibrahim as Aishah was on leave.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Choo Hueay Ting appeared for the prosecution while Muhammad Ezra was represented by counsel Selvi Sandrasegaram. — Bernama