Rumah Bonda founder to serve 12 years' jail for abuse of Bella

Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali was told to serve 12 years in jail today after the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court found her guilty of neglecting and abusing a teenage girl with Down syndrome known as Bella.

Judge Izralizam Sanusi, when handing down the decision, said the prosecution had succeeded in establishing the case beyond a reasonable doubt at the end of the defence case.

Siti Bainun was sentenced to 10 years in prison for neglecting the girl and 12 years for the second charge of abusing her. 

The court ordered her to begin serving the sentences concurrently from today, meaning that she will spend 12 years behind bars. 

The court also ordered her to sign a good behaviour bond for five years with a surety of RM5,000, and to carry out 200 hours of community service to be completed within six months of serving her time in jail.

Siti Bainun was charged with neglecting and abusing Bella to the point of causing her to suffer physical and emotional injuries between February and June 2021. 

The charges were framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine of RM50,000, or both upon conviction. 

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Nor Azizah Mohamad, Zilfinaz Abbas, Zahida Zakaria and Shakira Aliana Alias. 

Siti Bainun was represented by lawyer Mohammad Farhan Maaruf.