SEREMBAN, April 4 — A married couple pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to a charge of abusing a five-year-old boy.
The two accused, who are the victim’s stepfather and biological mother, made the plea before Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi.
They were jointly charged as persons having the care of the boy to have mistreated the boy by hitting the child with a cane and cloth hanger, causing him to suffer physical injury, in a house in Mantin between April last year and March 23 this year.
The charge is framed under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to 20 years or both upon conviction.
The court allowed them bail of RM5,000 with one surety each and set May 17 for mention.
Deputy public prosecutor Syamimi Farhana Muhammad A. Aziz prosecuted, while the couple was unrepresented. — Bernama
