Datin maid abuser jailed eight years

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here today sentenced the Datin who pleaded guilty to abusing her maid to eight years imprisonment after reviewing the light sentence of good behaviour bond by the sessions court.
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Seri Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah sentenced Rozita Mohamed Ali, 44, imposed the jail term starting from today after finding the sentence by the sessions court of five years of good behaviour bond and a surety of RM20,000 to be inappropriate to the gravity of the crime that was committed.
Tun Abd Majid also rejected counsel Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla's application for a stay and ruled there were no special circumstances for the court to take into consideration.
Rozita appeared calm when the sentence was read.
Haniff Khatri in his defence explained that the sessions court judge delivered a sentence of good behaviour bond as the victim in the trial, under sworn testimony, said she would like to withdraw the report made against Rozita.
However, Tun Abd Majid said it was not uncommon for reports to be withdrawn but it is in the Attorney-General's powers to decide to for the case to be prosecuted.
"Police reports cannot be withdrawn but they can appeal to the AG not to prosecute the accused but that is up to the AG to decide. This is not a factor for the court to consider in determining the sentence," he said.
This case is the state against the accused, he added.
Rozita was previously sentenced by the sessions court on March 15 after she changed her plea and pleaded guilty to causing grievous injuries to Suyanti Sutrinso, 19, after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
The light sentence by the sessions court caused an uproar among the public and an online petition calling for equal justice for the rich and poor has been posted and signed by more than 40,000 signatories.