Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali.
KUALA LUMPUR: A good friend of Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali today told the Sessions Court here that she recorded a video of a teenage girl with Down syndrome known as Bella and gave it to an individual known as Syed Azmi.
Private company assistant manager Zurianty Sudin, 39, said this during cross-examination by lawyer Nurul Hafidzah Hassan, who was representing Siti Bainun at her trial where she was charged with neglecting and abusing the 13-year-old girl.
The first prosecution witness, who was recalled to testify, also agreed with the lawyer's suggestion that her purpose in taking the video was to convince Syed Azmi that there was abuse against Bella.
Nurul Hafidzah: Do you agree with me that the video recording you took was only meant to be handed to Syed Azmi?
Zurianty: Originally yes.
Nurul Hafidzah: I put it to you that you had told Syed Azmi and he said 'do you have proof?', and that's why you took the video.
Zurianty: Yes.
Zurianty also agreed with the lawyer's suggestion that the video recording was taken at the condominium (Wangsa Maju) and not at Rumah Bonda (Setapak).
Nurul Hafidzah: You agree with me that you had planned to take the video?
Zurianty: I don't agree.
Nurul Hafidzah: So you simply went there and recorded the video straightaway?
Zurianty: Agree.
However, Zurianty denied that she recorded the video with a sad scene to convince an individual named Syed Azmi but agreed with the lawyer's suggestion that Syed Azmi was the first to receive the video.
When questioned by the lawyer about her action in sending the video recording to other individuals besides Syed Azmi, the witness said the video was sent to several other people because at that time she was traumatised after meeting Bella at the condominium unit.
"I then called other friends to get emotional support and asked them what to do because at that time I was in a blank state of mind but needed to act to help the investigation," said the witness, adding that she contacted Syed Azmi because he was an adviser to Rumah Bonda and a child activist.
According to Zurianty, Syed Azmi had fought for children's rights and was close to her and Siti Bainun.
Siti Bainun, 30, faces two charges of neglecting and abusing the teenage girl, to the extent that the victim suffered physical and emotional injuries between February and June 2021 at a condominium in Wangsa Maju here.
The trial before Judge Izralizam Sanusi continues on Sept 14. – Bernama
