BID TO REVIEW ABUSIVE DATIN'S SENTENCE TO BE HEARD TOMORROW
Court to hear application to review Datin’s good behaviour bond sentence
THE Shah Alam High Court has fixed tommorrow to hear an application to review the sentence against Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali, 44, who escaped jail time for abusing her Indonesian maid.
Selangor head of prosecution Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad said the prosecution had filed a notice of urgency for the case and it would be heard before High Court judge Datuk Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah at 9am.
On March 15, Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar let off Rozita with a good behaviour bond of five years even though the prosecution had pressed for a jail sentence considering the severity of the crime.
Rozita had admitted abusing then 19-year-old Suyanti Sutrinso in 2016 using a kitchen knife, a steel mop, a clothes hanger and an umbrella.
She had caused multiple injuries to the victim’s head, hands, legs and internal organs between 7am and 12pm on Dec 21, 2016, at a house in Mutiara Damansara here.
Rozita was initially charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years upon conviction.
However, the charge was later amended to causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means under Section 326 of the Penal Code.
The accused pleaded guilty to the lesser charge and Mokhzani sentenced her to be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,000.
Mokhzani’s decision sparked a nationwide outrage, with everyone from the public to lawmakers and non-governmental organisations calling for a review of the sentence.
More than 40,000 people have signed a petition calling for justice to be served equally to the rich and poor following the Sessions Court’s decision.
The petition, started by an unnamed individual using the moniker “Equal Justice For Malaysians” on Saturday on the change.com website, had obtained 41,337 signatures as of noon yesterday.
The petition is seeking 50,000 signatures before it is forwarded to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The petition claims that Rozita’s actions against Suyanti should have resulted in a “stricter punishment” rather than a good behaviour bond.
It said that being rich and carrying the title of “Datin” should not give her the right to treat people in an inhumane manner.