5-year-old's murder trial: Parents choose not to take witness stand in their defence

The couple on trial for abusing and murdering their five-year-old son have chosen not to take the witness stand - a move that the husband's lawyer said was an "overall strategic decision".

Ridzuan Mega Abdul Rahman and his wife Azlin Arujunah, both 27, are accused of scalding their son to death and other acts of abuse, including confining him in a cage and pinching him with a pair of pliers.

During the trial, which began on Nov 12, the court heard that in the week before the boy died from scald injuries on Oct 23, 2016, the couple splashed hot water on him on at least four occasions.

Yesterday, High Court Judge Valerie Thean called for the couple to give their defence, after finding that the prosecution had made out its case against them. She told them that they would be cross-examined should they choose to take the stand; if they remained silent, the court could draw an adverse inference against them in deciding whether they were guilty or not.

Azlin told the court that she did not wish to testify. Ridzuan, through a Malay interpreter, also said he wished to remain silent.

Numerous police statements taken from the couple, in which they admitted to the acts of abuse, have been admitted as evidence by the prosecution.

Their choice not to take the stand means that the only witnesses testifying for the defence would be their respective psychiatrists.

Azlin's psychiatrist, Dr Jacob Rajesh, said she was suffering from an adjustment disorder with depressed mood, while Dr Ken Ung has diagnosed Ridzuan with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intermittent explosive disorder and hypnotic use disorder.

Yesterday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Wen Hsien highlighted a recent court decision so that the pair would understand the consequences of remaining silent while relying on psychiatric evidence.

The case involved a woman who produced psychiatric reports saying she had heard voices that caused her to abuse her maid. But the woman did not testify on this assertion.

The DPP noted that Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said the psychiatric evidence could not form the basis for the court to conclude whether or not the woman heard voices and that the "best evidence" was her own testimony.

The couple's lawyers said their clients had been advised.

Taking the stand, Dr Rajesh said Azlin was facing multiple stressors in 2016 - her grandmother and mother died within months of each other, while Ridzuan had an extramarital affair and disappeared for three weeks, leaving her alone with their children.

To cope, Azlin abused methamphetamine, which can cause irritability, said the psychiatrist.

He said Azlin had told him that Ridzuan physically abused her and so she directed her anger towards the boy, who resembled his father.

He added that there was a lack of bonding between Azlin and the boy, who was fostered out shortly after his birth and returned to his parents when he was four years old.