'Durian' discipline on daughter goes too far: Man jailed five years, wife fined RM18,000

The Star

4 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: A man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, while his wife was fined RM18,000 by the Sessions Court here today after both pleaded guilty to abusing their daughter with a durian husk last week.
Judge Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh ordered Bunyamin Sukiman, 42, to serve his sentence from the date of arrest on July 18, while his wife, Yorlini Abdullah Umar, 32, will face three months' imprisonment if she fails to pay the fine.
The court also ordered both accused to be placed on a three-year good behaviour bond without surety and to perform 12 months of community service.
According to the charge, Yorlini, the biological mother of the victim, and Bunyamin, the child's stepfather, were accused of abusing the girl, aged seven years and 11 months, causing injuries to her body at a residence in Jalan Ampang here around 6 pm on July 16.
They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both, upon conviction.
According to the facts of the case, the senior assistant for Student Affairs at the victim's school had called her in over an allegation that she had cut another student's headscarf.
The girl was found to be innocent, but during the investigation, she disclosed that she had been beaten, had her ear twisted by both her mother and stepfather, and punched by the man.
She further revealed that they had placed her hand on the floor and slammed a durian husk on it, causing injury. The wounded hand was then soaked in warm salted water, and tied with adhesive tape and left overnight.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Ravindejit Kaur urged the court to impose a severe sentence, stressing that the victim, a minor, was entitled to protection, not violence.
"The act of pressing a durian husk onto the child's hand and subsequently soaking it in salt water is an act of extreme cruelty. Parents are meant to protect their children, not unleash their anger upon them,' she submitted.
In mitigation, the couple's lawyer, Simret Singh, pleaded for a lenient sentence, stating that Yorlini was unemployed and financially dependent on Bunyamin, who works as a vehicle sales advisor and is the family's sole breadwinner.
"The couple has two children, including the victim. They were remanded for seven days and cooperated fully with the authorities. During their detention, both expressed remorse and pledged not to repeat the offence,' said the lawyer.- Bernama