'Datin' Rozita Who Abused Her Maid Has Finally Been Sent To Jail To Serve 8-Year Sentence
She had used a kitchen knife, clothes hanger, mop handle, and umbrella to inflict injuries to her maid.
By Sadho Ram — 25 Sep 2020, 06:06 PM
On Thursday, 24 September, Rozita Mohamad Ali was finally sent to jail to serve the eight-year sentence that she failed to set aside in the Court of Appeal for abusing her Indonesian maid four years ago
In 2018, the High Court had sentenced Rozita, popularly known as 'Datin' Rozita, who pleaded guilty to abusing her Indonesian maid under Section 326, to eight years in jail, after setting aside a lower court's non-custodial sentence which had placed the housewife on a "good behaviour" bond.
However, Rozita was soon released on bail.
On 30 May 2018, the 46-year-old was granted a stay of execution by the Court of Appeal pending a review of the eight-year jail sentence for causing grievous hurt to her maid, Suyanti Sutrinso.
Since then, the 'Datin' failed to turn up multiple times in court for the appeal hearing of her case. When she did the same for the fourth time in July this year, Court of Appeal judge Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said issued a warning, saying her case will proceed on the next hearing date with or without Rozita.
Judge Kamaludin then fixed 24 September for the hearing and yesterday, a three-man bench led by him unanimously upheld the Shah Alam High Court's eight-year sentence against Rozita.
According to Judge Kamaludin, her appeal has no merit as the High Court has jurisdiction to review the sentence of a good behaviour bond that was initially imposed on her by the Sessions Court.
The 'Datin' has now begun serving her jail time in the Kajang women's prison.
Rozita with her lawyer at the Court of Appeal at the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya, yesterday.
Image via KosmoThe Court Of Appeal also noted that Rozita's sentence was according to the trend at that time and that there have been similar cases that have, in fact, been given higher sentences by the High Court
"The sentence handed down by the High Court was the current sentencing trend for such offences at that time. In fact, in other cases under Section 326 of the Penal Code (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), higher sentences were meted out by the court," Judge Kamaludin said, as reported by New Straits Times.
The judge, while adding that there are those who were jailed up to 20 years, dismissed the prosecution's appeal for an increase of the eight-year jail sentence against Rozita.
Rozita, who looked calm after the judgement, was escorted by police to the lockup room to be sent to Kajang Prison to serve her time
A file photo of Rozita being escorted by police at the Shah Alam High Court on 29 March 2018.
Image via Yusof Mat Isa/Malay MailIn March 2018, Rozita pleaded guilty under Section 326 for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means
And while Section 326 provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years, Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar had allowed Rozita to escape jail time.
The judge simply placed her on a "good behaviour bond" of five years, overlooking the prosecution's point for a jail sentence considering the severity of the crime.
Rozita had used a kitchen knife, clothes hanger, a steel mop handle, and an umbrella to inflict injuries to Suyanti's head, hands, legs, and internal organs at a house in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya.
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