Soldier and wife deny they abused 10-year-old child

KUANTAN: A soldier and his wife denied ill-treating the woman’s 10-year-old son, at a Session’s Court here yesterday.

Mohd Farid Fikri Mohamad, 32, and Fatimah Muhammad Zain, 37, claimed trial to ill-treating the boy by chaining him by the neck to a gas cylinder at a house in Indera Mahkota 1/13, Bandar Indera Mahkota, between 1am and 9.15am on Oct 5.

The charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, punishable under Section 31(1) of the same Act, carries a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or maximum 20 years’ jail or both on conviction.

The duo also claimed trial to neglecting the child between 8am on Sept 31 and 10.30pm on Oct 4, at the same place.

The alleged victim is now staying with his brother at their father’s house in Melaka.

Judge Datuk Unaizah Mohd set RM6,000 as bail with one surety for each of the accused, and Jan 9, 2018 for mention.

Counsel Noor Svetlana Mohd Noor Nordin asked the court to set a bail sum lower than the RM8,000 proposed by deputy public prosecutor Shahrul Ekhsan Hassim.

“Mohd Farid Fikri’s monthly income is only RM2,000. His wife is unemployed and is four months pregnant.

“They have to repay their housing loan of RM950 and car loan of RM800 monthly.

“They have to spend RM500 monthly for the schooling expenses of their five children, of which three are Fatimah’s from an earlier marriage. Only the children aged 13, six, and two-and-a-half years, are staying with them now,” she said.

The lawyer said Mohd Farid Fikri had been in the army for 13 years without any bad record, which was authenticated by his superior, who was in court yesterday to offer moral support. — Bernama