Kota Kinabalu: A woman working as an odd-job labourer was sentenced to six months in jail by the Sessions Court here on Thursday for failing to report a case of child abuse.
Jaimee Boo Swee Lean, 35, pleaded guilty before Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan to committing the offence between July and August, this year, in a unit at Taman Telipok Ria, Tuaran.
The charge stated that Jaimee, who was a family member of two boys, aged 10 and seven had reasonable grounds to believe that they were being abused but failed to notify a Social Welfare Officer.
Jaimee was charged under Section 28 of the Child Act 2001, which provides for a fine of up to RM5 or a jail term of up to two years, or both, on conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Bryan Francis in tendering the facts of the case, informed the court that on Aug 29, this year, the complainant lodged a police report at Tuaran police headquarters concerning suspected child abuse at the rented house.
The complainant had first noticed the abuse on Aug 9 when collecting rent from Jaimee. The complainant observed injuries on the two children, including cigarette burns, red eyes, bruises, and other marks on their heads, bodies, arms and legs.
When questioned, Jaimee told the complainant that the injuries were inflicted by the boys’ half-brother.
The complainant advised her to lodge a police report, but she failed to do so.
Feeling uneasy, the complainant later went to the police on Aug 19, which led to Jaimie’s arrest.
Unrepresented, Jaimee pleaded for leniency, telling the court that she was the only person who could look after the children. She said she was caring for eight children in total, including those she had with her current husband, while the rest were her husband’s children.
DPP Bryan urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, stressing that as the children’s stepmother, Jaimee had a duty to safeguard their health and safety instead of allowing them to suffer physical harm and psychological trauma.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Amir Shah told Jaimee that as a mother figure she bore responsibility for the children, telling her that even if she could not prevent the abuse, he said, she should have lodged a report.
The judge also commended the complainant for taking the initiative to alert the authorities, which in turn led to action by the Social Welfare Department.
Jaimee was ordered to serve the sentence from the date of her arrest.
Meanwhile, in the Magistrate’s Court, a part time food delivery was charged with molesting a woman while on board of a flight.
Md Yusuf Affendy pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Dzul Elmy Yunus to touching the 24-year-old woman’s left thigh at 9.50pm, on Aug 26, in Batik Air flight bound for Kota Kinabalu.
The charge is framed under Section 354 of the Penal Code. The court fixed Oct 24 for pre-trial case management and released the accused on RM2,000 bail in two sureties.
Inspector Alia Nuurlysa Adnan prosecuted.
