SHAH ALAM — March 29, 2018: The datin who abused her Indonesian maid who was earlier given a good behaviour bond of five years was today given a revised sentence of eight years in jail by a High Court.
The Petaling Jaya Sessions Court had on March 15 sentenced Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali, 44, to be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond with surety of RM20,000, causing widespread public condemnation and calls for a review.
Today Judicial Commissioner Datuk Seri Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah ruled that she did not deserve the good behaviour bond and called it inappropriate.
The jail sentence came into force today after the court rejected the application by lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla for a stay.
In his brief judgment, Tun Majid said that at 44 the accused was no longer young and that during the incident she was not under any emotional stress and hence there is no situation which allowed the accused to seek a lighter sentence.
On the defence’s argument that the victim wanted to withdraw her police report, he said the report could not be withdrawn. On the contrary the victim can only write a letter to the Attorney-General requesting not to proceed with the case.
“This case, however, is not a personal suit but it’s an offence against the State and the AG has the power to conduct or discontinue proceedings. It is also a fit and proper case for the high court to intervene,” he said.
Selangor prosecution director Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad said the victim had stayed alone with the accused and the woman had used her powers as an employer to commit extreme violence against the victim just because of minor mistakes.
“The court needs to take into account that the victim had only been at work for two weeks. Is it proper for a human being who has travelled from Indonesia to earn a living to be treated so? The accused actions were not only condemned in Indonesia but also in Malaysia,” he said.
Rozita was alleged to have abused Suyanti Sutrinso, 19, with a knife, a mop, a clothes hanger, an iron bar, a cat’s toy and an umbrella at a house in Mutiara Damansara in June 2016. — Bernama