KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here, presided by Judge Izralizam Sanusi, will be a place to watch tomorrow as he is scheduled to deliver the verdict for the abuse case involving Rumah Bonda founder at 10am.
Izralizam is set to decide whether Siti Bainun Ahd Razali will be sentenced for her charges of abusing and neglecting one of her adopted daughters, or walks away free.
The date was previously fixed by the court on March 9, after lawyer Mohammad Farhan Maaruf who appeared for Siti Bainun at the defence stage closed his case after calling the eighth defence witness.
The 31-year-old founder was charged in 2021, with two counts of neglecting and abusing a Down Syndrome teenager named Bella, to the point that Bella suffered physical and emotional injuries.
Siti Bainun was alleged to have committed the offence at a condominium in Wangsa Maju here, between February and June 2021.
Her charges were framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years or a fine of RM50,000 or both.
Bella was adopted by Siti Bainun in 2020, after having bumped into her while settling court matters for other kids under her care.
However, videos of Bella found in devastating condition with many scars on her body and her face surfaced and were circulated on social media in mid-2021, when one of Siti Bainun's friends found her at the accused's home.
Izralizam, on Nov 24 last year, ordered Siti Bainun to enter her defence, after finding that the prosecution had successfully adduced evidence proving each essential ingredient of the offences against her.
The prosecution comprises Deputy Public Prosecutors Zilfinaz Abbas, Nor Azizah Mohamad, Zahida Zakaria, Fazeedah Faik, and Shakira Aliana Alias.
The trial was also attended by four senior lawyers namely Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu, Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat, Datuk Ikbal Salam, and Mohd Radzi Yatiman who was appointed by Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim as watching brief.