KUALA LUMPUR: Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali has been taken to Kajang prison to begin her jail sentence immediately, after the sessions court here ordered her to begin a 12-year jail term for child abuse today.
The sentence was handed down by trial judge Izralizam Sanusi after hearing submissions on mitigation from Siti Bainun’s lawyer, Farhan Maaruf, and deputy public prosecutor Zahida Zakaria.
The court had earlier found Siti Bainun guilty on both charges under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 for neglecting and abusing a Down Syndrome teenager known as Bella.
On the first charge of neglect, the court imposed on Siti Bainun a 10-year jail sentence.
She was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the second abuse charge.
Both sentences are to run concurrently.
The court also imposed several additional orders against Siti Bainun.
She was ordered to serve a total of 200 hours of community service, after she completes her jail term.
She was also ordered to be placed under a good behaviour bond for five years.
Earlier, Farhan urged the court to impose a minimum sentence against Siti Bainun.
He said the defence hoped the court can give her a second chance to repent.
“A long custodial sentence would have an adverse impact on her health.
“Besides that, our prison facility cannot cater to a person of her physicality,” he said.
DPP Zahida asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence. She said Siti Bainun had been entrusted with the care of Bella, and even obtained a court order for that.
“Yet she misused her position to abuse and neglect the child,” she said.
Farhan informed the court that the defence has filed an appeal before the High Court, but Izralizam said filing an appeal does not warrant a stay of execution on the jail sentence.
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