Lorry driver jailed, fined for whipping OKU son

SHAH ALAM: A lorry driver was sentenced to two months imprisonment and RM4,000 fine or another six months by the Sessions Court here today for whipping his differently-abled son (OKU) aged merely three years and two months.
Judge Mohd Sabri Ismail ordered him to serve the sentence from the date of his first appearance in court on Aug 25.
The man, aged 30, admitted committing the offence with a cane at an apartment in Section 26 here, around 1.30pm on July 20.
The charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 provides for maximum RM50,000 fine or maximum 20 years imprisonment on conviction.
According to the facts of the case, the man's ex-wife had gone to his house with the victim and asked him to take care of their son as she wanted to bring their 10-month-old daughter to the clinic.
Upon returning, the ex-wife found the victim crying inconsolably while the man applied cream on the child's body.
The man admitted to his ex-wife that he had caned their son because he had been playing with the chicken eggs inside the refrigerator.
The man's ex-wife brought the victim to Shah Alam Hospital and the doctor at the emergency and trauma department found bruises on the front and back part of the child's body as well as hands, legs and face.
An investigation revealed the child was an OKU (with learning disability).
Earlier in mitigation, the man who was unrepresented said he was remorseful for his action and was feeling depressed at the time as he and his wife had just divorced.
Nevertheless, deputy public prosecutor Naliatul Huzaimi Ab Rasip urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence. — Bernama