A 24-year-old former factory worker pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today to taking part in a transaction intended to permanently transfer control of a 12-day-old baby in exchange for RM17,300.
The accused, S. Kelsey, entered the plea after the charge was read before Sessions Court Judge Nabisha Ibrahim.
According to the charge, Kelsey allegedly participated in the transaction at a private hospital here between 7.30am on Aug 18 and 1.30am on Aug 21.
The alleged transaction involved the transfer of permanent control over the baby in return for RM17,300.
She was charged under Section 48(1) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both upon conviction.
The court fixed Oct 5 for the case to be mentioned for the facts of the case and sentencing.
Earlier, defence lawyer RSN Rayer asked the court to set a later date to allow the facts of the case to be presented before sentencing. He also sought a lower bail amount, saying his client had been unemployed since becoming pregnant and was responsible for supporting her family.
Rayer further asked the court to take into consideration his client’s physical condition, saying she was still exhausted after being detained to assist investigations three days after giving birth last month.
Judge Nabisha granted Kelsey bail of RM10,000 with one surety. She was also ordered to surrender her passport to the court and refrain from interfering with prosecution witnesses.
Kelsey also pleaded guilty to a separate charge at the Magistrates’ Court here for possessing another person’s identity card.
The charge states that she was found in possession of the identity card belonging to a 33-year-old woman, despite knowing that it belonged to someone else. The offence allegedly took place at the same hospital at about 1.30pm on Aug 21.
She was charged under Regulation 25(1)(e) of the National Registration Regulations 1990, which provides for a maximum jail term of two years, a fine of up to RM3,000, or both.
Magistrate Muhammad Syaiful Akmal Mohamad Razi granted Kelsey bail of RM1,500 with one surety and also fixed Oct 5 for mention and sentencing.
The case follows an earlier police investigation in which six local individuals, including the woman, were arrested last month over allegations of using another person’s identity documents while giving birth at a private hospital here.
