KUALA LUMPUR - Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali has withdrawn her application to stay the execution of her 12-year prison sentence for charges of neglect and abuse involving a teenage girl with Down syndrome, known as Bella.
Her lawyer Asyraaf Abu Bakar Hamzah informed High Court Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid that the withdrawal was made under instructions from Siti Bainun, 32, who had filed the application on June 6.
"We have received instructions from our client to withdraw the application before this High Court and to instead focus on pursuing the matter in the Court of Appeal,” he stated during the case mention, attended by deputy public prosecutor Syajaratudur Abd Rahman.
In light of this development, Judge Azhar then ordered the application to be struck out.
On May 2, High Court Judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin (now Court of Appeal judge) upheld Siti Bainun’s conviction and 12-year custodial sentence, dismissing her appeal against the conviction and sentence imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court in May 2023.
However, Noorin directed Siti Bainun’s lawyer to file a fresh application for a stay of execution of the prison sentence if deemed necessary.
On May 20, Siti Bainun withdrew her appeal before the Court of Appeal against the High Court’s decision dated May 23, 2023, which had dismissed her application for a stay of execution of the prison sentence.
On May 3, 2023, Sessions Court Judge Izralizam Sanusi sentenced Siti Bainun to 12 years imprisonment after convicting her on two charges of neglect and abuse involving Bella, a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome.
The court ordered that the sentence be executed immediately, having denied her application for a stay of execution. Siti Bainun was subsequently committed to Kajang Prison to commence her sentence.
The Sessions Court also directed Siti Bainun to execute a five-year bond for good behaviour, with a surety and security deposit of RM5,000.
She was further ordered to perform 200 hours of community service, to be completed within six months of the conclusion of her prison term.
Siti Bainun was accused of neglect and abuse that caused physical and emotional harm to Bella at a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021.
The charges were brought under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of RM50,000, or both upon conviction. - BERNAMA