KUALA LUMPUR – Yasmin Nahar Mahmood, 19, the fifth witness of the abuse trial involving a Down Syndrome girl, Bella had ran away from Rumah Bonda seven times.
The witness stayed at that shelter for three years since she was 15 years old.
The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court was also told that Yasmin was invited by the Founder of Rumah Bonda, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali when she was eight months pregnant from the psychiatry ward of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
Siti Bainun’s defence counsel, Datuk Farhan Maarof highlighted that during his cross-examination with Yasmin at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court during the ninth day of the trial.
Lawyer: If I suggest to you that your father called Bainun to pick you up. Would you agree?
Yasmin: No.
Lawyer: In your statement, you mentioned that you ran away seven times throughout your stay at Rumah Bonda.
Yasmin: Agree.
Lawyer: There were several times, you ran away as per your testimony, several times did Siti Bainun come pick you up again? Agree?
Yasmin: The question is not clear. What do you mean?
Lawyer: In the seven times you run away, Bainun would surely come and pick you up again? Agree?
Yasmin: Agree.
Farhan also shared that Siti Bainun accompanied Yasmin and gave her moral support when the witness attended court while her then boyfriend was sentenced for rape.
Last Friday, Yasmin told the court that she bit Bella’s tummy after being instructed by Siti Bainun, the founder of Rumah Bonda.
In her testimony, Yasmin alleged that Siti Bainun was angry because Bella refused to follow her order and asked her to shoot Bella with hot water from a syringe.
Meanwhile, in his cross-examination, Farhan also suggested to the witness that Bella was not abused by Siti Bainun herself.
On the contrary, the abuse on the child with disabilities was done by Yasmin and her friend.
Lawyer: I have a theory. This is Siti Bainun’s instruction to me. I suggest that Yasmin and Aida abused Bella every day. Agree or not?
Yasmin: No.
Lawyer: I suggest that what you told in that 42-page statement, everything happened were done by Yasmin and Aida. Agree or not?
Yasmin: No.
Lawyer: And I suggest to you why your testimony was very detailed, very on point, because those were your experience with Aida. Agree or not?
Yasmin: No.
Lawyer: And I suggest to you that Siti Bainun knew about these, but she chose to keep quiet to protect you. Agree or not?
Yasmin: No.
In the trial which started at around 12.30 pm, Yasmin sternly repeated that Siti Bainun was the perpetrator of Bella’s abuse.
The trial will resume at 9.30 am tomorrow. Siti Bainun is represented by eight defence counsel, meanwhile, the prosecution is led by four Deputy Public Prosecutors.
The prosecutors are scheduled to bring 20 witnesses for the case.
Siti Bainun, 30, pleaded not guilty to two counts of negligence and abuse of the teenager causing the victim to sustain emotional and physical injuries at a condominium in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021.
She was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2002 which carries the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison or RM50,000 fine or both upon conviction.
The trial before Judge Izralizam Sanusi will resume at 9.30 am tomorrow. -MalaysiaGazette
