Case of abusive Datin back in court

50,000 signatures demanding equal justice for all to be presented to PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court in Shah Alam has fixed tomorrow to hear an application to review the sentence meted out against a 44-year-old Datin who pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt to her maid two years ago.

Selangor prosecution director Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad, when contacted, confirmed the matter.

Iskandar said a notice of urgency was filed yesterday before a Shah Alam High Court deputy registrar.

The prosecution filed a notice of appeal on March 15, the same day the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court meted out a bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,000 to Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali.

In the meantime, 50,000 people have signed a petition demanding equal justice for rich and poor alike after Rozita escaped jail time for abusing her Indonesian domestic helper.

The petition, started by “Equal Justice For Malaysians” on Saturday on petition site change.org, obtained the targeted 50,000 signatures just before 7pm yesterday.

According to the website, the petition will be forwarded to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

Rozita was charged with having abused Suyanti Sutrinso, then 19, using a kitchen knife, a steel mop, a clothes hanger and an umbrella.

She allegedly caused multiple injuries to the victim’s head, hands, legs and internal organs between 7am and noon on Dec 21, 2016, at a house in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

“What message are we sending to our people and children? Malaysia needs to seriously look at our human rights issues,” the petition text said.

The Indonesian Embassy, when contacted, said it would respect and monitor the court process as it was still ongoing because the prosecution has filed an appeal.

“The embassy will not interfere and is confident that the Malaysian legal process will prevail,” the embassy told The Star.

Rozita was initially charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code with attempted murder, facing life imprisonment or up to 20 years in jail.

However, the charge was later amended to causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means under Section 326 of the Penal Code which carries imprisonment of up to 20 years.

Rozita pleaded guilty to the lesser charge and judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar sentenced her to be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,000.

Deputy public prosecutor V. Suloshani had urged the court to mete out a jail sentence to serve as a deterrent against the accused, adding that the incident had gone viral on social media.

However, Rozita’s lawyer Datuk Rosal Azimin Ahmad applied for the good behaviour bond, saying that his client had repented.