Bella suffered physical, emotional injuries under Siti Bainun's custody - Judge
KUALA LUMPUR - The Sessions Court here today found that the Down Syndrome teenager, known as Bella, suffered physical and emotional injuries when under the care of Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali.
Judge Izralizam Sanusi in his judgment, when ordering Siti Bainun, 30, to enter her defence on charges of neglecting and abusing the teenager, said that if the accused had looked after Bella well, the girl would not have suffered and endured such pain.
"Based on the testimony of the prosecution witnesses (SP) consisting of medical experts from Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) who treated Bella and the former residents of Rumah Bonda, as well as based on photographs of Bella's injuries and recordings via mobile phones, I found that the victim suffered physical and emotional injuries while in the custody of the accused (Siti Bainun).
"SP3 (HKL pediatrician Dr Nizam Malik Bali Mohamed) said that there were many traces of old wounds on the face, left neck, back, abdomen and right thigh of the patient (Bella) and based on the testimony by SP4 (HKL medical officer Dr Sheshadri Sridar), there were burn marks on both Bella's hands and scars on her body," he said.
As such, he said, the prosecution had succeeded in proving that the accused mistreated and caused physical and emotional injuries to Bella.
The judge said HKL plastic surgeon Dr Salmi Mohamed Shukur (SP15), who treated the wounds on both Bella's hands, stated that while treating the girl, she found that the injuries were serious and that the wounds took time to heal.
"SP15 also stated that the wounds on both Bella's hands were second degree burns and were not caused by an accident or self-inflicted injury," said Izralizam.
Referring to the testimony by Dr Meenabigai PK Sevarah (SP2), of the Emergency and Trauma Division at HKL, he said there were injuries and old scars on Bella's body when she was first taken to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Izralizam said a community nurse at the Taman Sinar Harapan welfare home, Wan Zuriena Wan Ismail (SP14) stated that Bella was traumatised and scared when she was brought back to the home.
"SP14 used to treat Bella when the girl was at Taman Sinar Harapan and after the girl was handed over to the accused...she found that after Bella was sent back to the home, the girl became afraid of people, that she was not the same as before and was traumatised and often screamed at night," he said.
MORE TO COME
