KUCHING: An unemployed woman, who pleaded guilty to concealing the birth of her daughter by throwing the newborn into a drain, was fined RM5,000 by the Magistrateâs Court here Monday.
Magistrate Zaiton Anuar set this against Afiqah Azman, 20, after hearing the social report and examining the proposal submitted by an officer of the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
âJKM officers recommended to the court that the accused be sentenced to a fine as the age of the accused is now almost over 21 years, apart from taking into account public interest, case facts and the appeal to reduce the sentence of the accused.
âTherefore, the court set the accused to be fined RM5,000 or nine months imprisonment if she fails to pay,â said Zaiton in passing the sentence.
The accused was charged under Section 318 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of two years or a fine or both, if convicted.
According to the charge, she allegedly threw the baby into the drain with the aim of concealing the birth of a newborn child, between 7 pm and 12 midnight on January 18, in Bandar Baru Semariang.
Based on the facts of the case, the accused went to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for treatment due to bleeding.
The doctor on duty examined the accused and found that she was suffering from severe bleeding, in addition to having signs of childbirth and there was a tear on her private part.
Thus, the doctor suspected that the accused had given birth, but the accused denied and refused to say anything about the birth.
Result of examination also found that the babyâs DNA matched that of the accusedâs.
Meanwhile, the accused, in the appeal to reduce her sentence, cried and appealed for minimum penalty because she regretted her actions.
The mother of the accused who was present also informed the court that her daughter (the accused) was starting to show a change of attitude and was helping her in earning income by selling kuih.
The prosecution was conducted by the Prosecuting Officer, Inspector Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang while the accused was not represented by a lawyer.-The Borneo Post
