A cashier was sentenced to three months in prison by the Seremban Sessions Court today after pleading guilty to abusing her 11-year-old daughter, an assault that left the child with physical injuries last October.
Judge Datin Surita Budin imposed the sentence after considering the plea of guilt and submissions from both the prosecution and the defence. The court ordered the jail term to begin today and directed the accused to complete 120 hours of community service within six months of her release. She was also required to post a good behaviour bond of RM1,000 with one surety, failing which she would serve an additional two months’ imprisonment.
The charge stated that the woman committed the offence at a house near Lobak at about 5.30am on Oct 29, causing injuries to her daughter’s head and right arm. She was charged under Section 31(1) of the Children Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of a RM50,000 fine or up to 20 years’ jail, or both.
According to the case facts, the victim had told her teacher that she was assaulted by her mother at home before being sent to school. Investigations found that the child was struck with a knife, sustaining injuries behind her earlobe, pushed to the floor and stepped on the face. She was also strangled with a rope before being released. The assault was believed to have been triggered by allegations that the child had taken make-up from a room.
In mitigation, Legal Aid Department lawyer Hanis Anisah Jamiludin said the accused earned RM1,000 a month as a cashier and had two children, while her husband worked as a security guard. She told the court that her client suffered from mental illness, was dependent on medication and had a history of suicide attempts.
Hanis said the accused regretted her actions and that a lengthy prison sentence could further deteriorate her mental health, adding that the family had arranged for her to continue receiving treatment and remain under supervision.
Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmun urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, stressing that the accused had a duty as a mother to protect her child but instead inflicted physical injuries and long-term emotional trauma.
