By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Oct 5: A factory worker was fined RM3,000 by the Magistrate’s Court today after pleading guilty to concealing childbirth by disposing of the fetus in a toilet.
Magistrate Jason Maro Lenya Barayan ordered the 31-year-old accused from Kota Samarahan, who was not represented by a lawyer, to serve nine months in jail if she fails to pay the fine.
The woman was charged with committing the offense on June 12, 2023, around 12.05am in a factory restroom in Samajaya.
Based on the case’s details, a fellow factory worker at the accused’s workplace contacted the police on June 16, 2023, around 9.55am, reporting that she had discovered a fetus in a factory sewage tank.
Subsequently, an investigation was launched, and on June 20, 2023, the police arrested the accused at the factory dormitory.
During the investigation, analysis conducted by the Malaysian Chemistry Department confirmed that the DNA comparison between the accused and the fetus yielded identical results.
Further investigations revealed that the accused had concealed the birth by disposing of the fetus.
Therefore, the accused was charged under Section 318 of the Penal Code, which, upon conviction, carries a punishment of imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both.
It was understood that at the time of the incident, the accused went to the restroom due to severe abdominal pain, and while using the toilet, she noticed a round object mixed with blood coming from her genitals. However, she did not suspect anything and proceeded to flush the toilet.
Additionally, it was reported that until her arrest, the accused was unaware of her pregnancy, assuming that she was experiencing severe menstrual cramps due to irregular menstrual cycles.
On the morning of the incident (June 12, 2023), the accused allegedly visited a clinic on Jalan Astana here to seek treatment for her severe cramps. She was prescribed painkillers and medication to control bleeding and was granted a two-day medical leave by the doctor.
The prosecution was conducted by Inspector Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang. — DayakDaily
