Maid abuser freed on bail
Eight-year prison sentence suspended pending appeal
PUTRAJAYA: The eightyear jail term imposed on a housewife who abused her maid has been suspended pending her appeal and she is now out on bail.
Rozita Mohamad Ali, who was earlier mistaken as a Datin, was given the jail term by the High Court following public outrage over her seemingly light sentence of RM20,000 good behaviour bond.
Her lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla spoke to reporters after the Court of Appeal allowed the RM25,000 bail, saying the stay of jail term was made because Rozita had to go for medical treatment and physiotherapy due to neck and back pain.
He said the Court of Appeal had yet to set a date to hear the appeal against the High Court order.
Mohamed Haniff added that he had yet to receive the grounds of judgement from the High Court.
Rozita’s initial sentence by the Sessions Court was met with a public outcry and thousands of protest signatures were collected via online petitions.
The case first drew public anger after a video of Rozita’s maid Suyanti Sutrinso, 21, lying injured next to a drain went viral.
Rozita had pleaded guilty before a Sessions Court judge on March 15 to an amended charge of causing grievous hurt to Suyanti with a kitchen knife, mop, hanger and umbrella at a house in Mutiara Damansara on June 21, 2016.
Suyanti, who is from Medan, was only 19 when the abuse took place.
Yesterday, the bail and stay orders were given by a threeman Bench chaired by Court of Appeal judge Justice Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi.
Justice Ahmadi said the stay of execution should be allowed and that Rozita should be released on bail of RM25,000 with two sureties.
He also ordered Rozita to surren der her travel documents and passport to the court.
He added that Rozita was required to report to the nearest police station once every two weeks.