KAJANG, March 16 — A housewife was charged in the Sessions Court here today with abusing her young nephew with an extension wire, leaving marks and bruises on the boy’s body.
Norazatul Akmal Zakaria, 35, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before judge Surita Budin.
Known as “Chek Ngah” to the victim, aged 10 years and 10 months, she was alleged to have committed the offence at a house at Hill Park 2 here at 7.30 am last March 8.
She was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and faced a fine of up to RM50,000, or imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both, and the court, in addition to any punishment specified in subsection (1), order her to executive a bond with sureties to be of good behaviour for such period as the court thinks fit.
The prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Siti Noor Hafizan Zakaria, offered bail at RM15,000 with one surety, but Norazatul Akmal’s lawyer, P. Gunalan, requested the amount be lowered and also informed the court that his client was still in confinement after giving birth to her second child about two months ago, and her husband was the sole family breadwinner with income of RM3,500 a month.
The court then set bail at RM10,000 in one surety and fixed April 16 for mention.
It is learnt that the boy stayed with his aunt after his parents divorced. A police report was lodged after a teacher brought the boy to a hospital for treatment.
The boy is now placed under the care of the Social Welfare Department. — Bernama
