KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — A nursery operator was fined RM7,000 by the Sessions Court here today for abusing a two-year-old girl in June.
Judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamed Khalid handed down the sentence on Azlinawaty Julaihi, 41, after she pleaded guilty to slapping the child several times until both her eyes were swollen and her right cheek was bruised, in an incident at a nursery in Jalan Dato’ Senu, here, at 12.30pm on June 15.
The charge was framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a fine of not more than RM50,000 or maximum imprisonment of 20 years, or both, upon conviction.
The court also ordered the accused to serve five months in prison if she failed to pay the fine. The accused paid the fine.
Earlier, before handing down the sentence, Emelia Kaswati, in her judgment, said that the court needs to hand down a punishment to serve as a lesson to the accused and to other nursery operators against committing a similar offence.
The woman, who was not represented, appealed for leniency because she had no intention of harming the victim and regretted her actions.
On the other hand, deputy public prosecutor, Noorhani Muhammed Ayub, pressed for a just punishment to serve as a lesson, taking into account that the victim was only a two-year-old child.
According to the facts of the case, on the day of the incident, the complainant, who is the victim’s mother, found bruises on both eyes, a red cheek, and swelling on the lips after picking up the victim from the nursery.
The complainant had asked Azlinawaty and was informed that the child bumped into another child while playing, but Azlinawaty finally admitted to slapping the victim.
As a result of the police investigation, it was found that Azlinawaty had slapped the toddler several times because the victim spat the food out after being fed.
As a result of a medical examination, it was found that the injuries sustained by the victim were the result of being slapped.
— Bernama
