By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Oct 27: A married couple was fined RM1,250 each or sentenced to one month in jail by the Magistrates’ Court here today after pleading guilty to lodging a false police report claiming another woman’s baby as their own to register the infant as their biological child with the National Registration Department (JPN).
The accused, Rano, 24, and his wife, Teresa, 22, pleaded guilty to one count each under Section 182 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Act, before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.
According to the charge, the couple committed the offence at the Sungai Maong Police Station investigation office at around 9.51am on September 22 this year.
Based on the facts of the case, on September 23, 2025, at about 9.31am, an officer from the Serian Welfare Department received a phone call from a JPN officer regarding a couple who wanted to register the birth of a baby girl.
The officer became suspicious of the couple’s statements and contacted the Serian Social Welfare Office for further investigation.
An interview revealed that the baby girl was not the biological child of the couple, and several inconsistencies were found in their account.
Investigations showed that Rano had earlier lodged a police report claiming the baby was his biological daughter and that his wife, Teresa, had given birth with the help of a traditional midwife.
However, the couple’s statements were found to be inconsistent with their original police report during further inquiries by the welfare department.
Authorities from the welfare department concluded that the baby needed to be rescued and undergo a medical examination due to uncertainties surrounding her background.
Further investigation revealed that the baby’s biological mother had illegally handed the child over to the couple and refused to cooperate during the birth registration process.
It was later confirmed that Rano and Teresa had fabricated the story in their police report, alleging that Teresa gave birth to the baby with the assistance of a village midwife to support their registration application.
Both accused appeared in court unrepresented. — DayakDaily
