SHAH ALAM: A Datin, who triggered public outrage after she was given only a light sentence for abusing her Indonesian maid, failed to show up in court for a review of her sentence today.
Rozita Mohamad Ali, 44, was supposed to appear before the High Court here with her surety for the hearing of the prosecution’s application to review the good behaviour bond imposed on her by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court, last week.
Judge Datuk Seri Tun Majid Tun Hamzah gave the prosecution a weeks’ time to locate Rozita and her surety after the duo failed to turn up today.
He fixed March 29 to hear the prosecution’s application.
Earlier, Selangor head of prosecution Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad told the court that as of last night, the prosecution’s attempt to serve a notice to Rozita and her surety, who is a Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) personnel, for them to appear in court, proved futile.
“We went to the respondent’s (Rozita) house in Damansara and her family home in Melaka, but no one was at either address.
“We also tried to serve the notice to the bailor’s address at the RMAF base in Subang but the house was vacant. But we have pasted the notice at the bailor’s house,” he said.
Meanwhile, outside the court, Iskandar told reporters that he was only informed via a letter that the lawyer who previously represented the Datin had withdrawn himself.
“We received the letter late yesterday evening which stated that the lawyer is no longer acting on behalf of the Datin,” he said.
He said he will obtain the condition of the bond from the lower court by today.
On March 15, Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar let Rozita off with a mere 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 Suyanti Sutrinso, 19, using a kitchen knife, a steel mop, a clothes hanger and an umbrella in 2016.
She 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.
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 Mohammed Mokhzani sentenced her to be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,000.
Mohammed Mokhzani’s decision subsequently sparked nationwide outrage, from members of the public to lawmakers and non-governmental organisations calling for a review of the sentence.
More than 40,000 people have also signed a petition calling for “justice to be served”, following the Sessions Court 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 today.
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” instead of a mere good behaviour bond.
It added that being rich and carrying the title of “Datin” should not give her the right to treat people in an inhumane manner.