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Alleged 'The Messiah' hacker ordered to be remanded for psychiatric evaluation

James Raj Arokiasamy (above), the alleged hacker who goes by the moniker ‘The Messiah’, was arrested in a Kuala Lumpur apartment on Nov 4. He will be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation, the court
James Raj Arokiasamy (above), the alleged hacker who goes by the moniker ‘The Messiah’, was arrested in a Kuala Lumpur apartment on Nov 4. He will be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation, the court ruled on Tuesday afternoon. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

Alleged hacker James Raj Arokiasamy will be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation, the court ruled on Tuesday afternoon.

This means the 35-year-old, charged with hacking the Ang Mo Kio Town Council website on Oct 28, will not be allowed access to anyone other than medical personnel until the evaluation is complete.

District Judge Kessler Soh allowed the application despite protests from James Raj, who told the court that he had suffered a concussion and was assaulted when arrested on Nov 4.

The alleged hacker also claimed to have been denied contact with his mother, and said he had been deprived of medical attention for long periods. He insisted that he had been taken out of context when he said in court on Tuesday morning that he suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

His lawyer M. Ravi said James Raj's demeanour in court showed he did not suffer from any mental condition and therefore should not be remanded.

But Deputy Public Prosecutor Tang Shangjun said that James Raj was merely "changing his tune", and argued that no prejudice would be caused by remanding him at IMH. The case will be mentioned again on Nov 26.

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