CHUKAI: The Kemaman Sessions Court here today ordered a woman charged with abusing her six-year-old daughter to be sent for mental examination.

Judge Wan Suhaila Mohd ordered Norulhuda Sofia Muda, 26, to be sent for mental examination following an application by the prosecution and after observing her condition in the court.

She pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read out to her, but the court rejected her plea due to her condition. The woman was emotional and looked confused when the charge was read out to her.

This prompted deputy public prosecutor Syairah Mohamad Razali to apply for the accused to be sent for mental examination under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Lawyer Akmal Wahidah Abd Halim, from the National Legal Aid Foundation, who represented the accused, did not object.

Norulhuda Sofia was charged with abusing her daughter, to the extent of causing her physical injury, by pulling her hair and head and then throwing the girl out of a window at their house in Kampung Air Jabor Kubur, here at 2 pm, last July 13.

The charge, framed under Section 31 (1) of the Child Act 2001, provides for a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or a maximum imprisonment of 20 years or both upon conviction.

The court then set Aug 20 for mention.