A three-member bench chaired by Justice Azman Abdullah also ordered Rosmaini Abd Raof, 43, to pay RM25,000 in compensation to the family of Jahidah Nordin @ Sylvester, failing which he will serve an additional six months in jail.

Azman, who sat with Justices Noorin Badaruddin and Radzi Abdul Hamid, also dismissed Rosmaini’s appeal against conviction.

Azman said the court was imposing the maximum custodial sentence due to public interest.

“The sentence will also serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders,” he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Amril Johari appeared for the prosecution while lawyers Kamal Hisyam Jaafar and Nuriana Kamilah Zalizan represented Rosmaini.

Rosmaini was brought to court from remand after being arrested last week on suspicion of assaulting another wife, allegedly resulting in a miscarriage.

Last year, the High Court in Johor Baru upheld Rosmaini’s conviction and 10-year jail sentence imposed by the sessions court for causing grievous bodily harm to Jahidah.

The court also rejected the prosecution’s cross-appeal to increase the sentence, ruling that the 10-year term was sufficient.

However, it allowed Rosmaini a stay of execution of the sentence pending appeal, and set additional bail of RM10,000, bringing the total to RM25,000. He had spent 79 days in jail following the sessions court’s decision.

Rosmaini was found guilty of causing grievous hurt to Jahidah, who was 10 weeks pregnant at the time, by hitting her head, face, and hands and stomping on her back at an apartment in Kampung Aman, Larkin, at 6am on May 4, 2021.

It is understood that Jahidah gave birth via caesarean section on Nov 30 of the same year.

Rosmaini was charged under Section 325 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A, which allows for double the maximum punishment.

He was convicted by the sessions court on Dec 9, 2024, and sent to prison to serve the 10-year sentence.

Rosmaini and Jahidah, a former government employee, are now divorced.