KUALA LUMPUR: A man was sentenced to five years in jail while his wife was fined RM18,000 by the Sessions Court after both admitted to abusing their seven-year-old daughter with a durian husk.
Judge Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh ruled that Bunyamin Sukiman, 42, would serve his term from the date of arrest on July 18. His wife, Yorlini Abdullah Umar, 32, faces three months in jail if she fails to pay the fine.
The court also placed the couple on a three-year good behaviour bond without surety and ordered them to complete 12 months of community service. The abuse occurred at their home in Jalan Ampang on July 16, where the girl was allegedly beaten, had her ear twisted, and her hand injured by a durian husk.
The case came to light after the victim’s school investigated an unrelated incident involving a cut headscarf. During questioning, the child revealed the abuse, including having her hand pressed with a durian husk and soaked in warm salted water.
Deputy public prosecutor Ravindejit Kaur argued for a harsh penalty, stating the act was “extreme cruelty” and that children deserve protection, not violence.
The couple’s lawyer, Simret Singh, appealed for leniency, citing Yorlini’s unemployment and Bunyamin’s role as the sole breadwinner. Both expressed remorse during detention. - Bernama