A 27-year-old kindergarten teacher in Kota Kinabalu has been sentenced to one year in jail and fined RM10,000 for abusing a four-year-old student. Melona Eva Ezwa Musah pleaded guilty in court and will also be placed under a bond of good behavior for two years after her release. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of imprisonment. The judge cited Section 31(1)(a) of the Child’s Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail or a fine up to RM50,000, or both.
Melona admitted to physically abusing the boy on August 8 at Tadika Srikandi Penampang. The prosecution presented closed circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the accused deliberately assaulting the child. The prosecution argued for a severe punishment, emphasizing the trust placed in the accused by both the parents and the school authority. They also urged the court to consider the public interest and the impact of the incident on the victim and his parents. The defense, represented by Counsels Hairul Vaiyron Othman and Luke Ressa Balang, showed CCTV footage of the boy’s parents attacking the accused and requested leniency due to Melona’s repentance and guilty plea.
The prosecutor clarified that the parents’ attack on the accused was a separate incident and still under investigation. Romanus argued that the accused initially denied the offense to the child’s parents until they saw the CCTV footage. Romanus stated that in the defense’s videos, the mother tried to stop the father but failed to intervene during the assault. The prosecutor asserted there were no valid reasons for Melona to commit such a crime against an innocent child.
In her defense, Balang highlighted Melona’s remorse and commitment to rectifying her mistakes. He mentioned her responsibility of caring for her parents and the punishment she had already faced through viral humiliation on social media and anxiety from the charges. Balang stressed that as a first-time offender, Melona deserved a second chance, especially considering her guilty plea and acceptance of responsibility.
The court was presented with the following facts: the mother was informed by her son that he had been beaten, slapped, and had his hair pulled by the accused, resulting in pain all over his face, head, and body. The accused initially claimed the injuries may have occurred while playing with friends. The accused repeatedly denied harming the child when questioned by the mother and father. Dissatisfied with the response, the parents requested CCTV footage from the kindergarten, leading to the discovery of the abuse. The footage played in court clearly showed the accused assaulting the child with various objects in front of other children, including a school bag and ruler.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
