DPP to review guidelines for offenders with mental illness

The Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is developing guidelines for the prosecution of cases involving people with mental illness.

The DPP said the new guidelines will include input from other stakeholders including the Health Ministry, Prisons, Judiciary, and the national police service.

Noordin Haji has since constituted a team of specialized prosecutors to address gaps in prosecuting this group of people.

Section 162-167 of the Criminal Procedure Code guides the handling of cases involving persons with mental illness, but it doesn’t give timelines on how long the court should take to inquire into the insanity of a person.

This loophole causes delay of cases, hence the need for developing new guidelines.

The remarks were made during a stakeholders’ meeting on ‘Access to Justice for Persons with Mental Illness and Intellectual Disability.