MELAKA: A 44-year-old babysitter was fined RM2,000 by the Magistrate’s Court in Ayer Keroh here after pleading guilty to injuring a 21-month-old girl.
Magistrate Uthman Abd Ghani meted out the sentence after Masmariati Samsudin, 44, admitted to the charge when it was read to her on Friday (Aug 21).
The accused was charged with voluntarily causing hurt to the toddler at a house in Jalan Desa Taming Sari 3, Sungai Udang here, on Feb 13, 2025.
The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.
According to the facts of the case, the victim’s mother noticed bruising on her daughter after collecting her from the babysitter’s home at about 7pm on that day.
The child’s father subsequently contacted the accused for an explanation.
The accused initially denied knowing how the bruising occurred but later admitted causing it.
A medical examination classified the injuries found on the child’s genital area and lower abdomen as physical assault.
The child had also previously sustained an injury near her eye and bruises on her body and hands.
Prosecuting officer Insp Nur Zaidah Muhamad Zailani urged the court to impose the maximum sentence, saying the accused had breached the trust placed in her by the child’s parents.
National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Muhamad Mawardi Zainudin, who represented the accused, appealed for a minimum fine.
He told the court that the accused earned RM350 a month caring for children and depended on her husband, a military pensioner with a monthly income of about RM2,000.
The couple also had a child studying at university.
Muhamad Mawardi said the accused had recently undergone spinal surgery, deeply regretted her actions and admitted that she had failed to control her emotions during the incident.
The accused, who was seen using a walking stick throughout the proceedings, later paid the fine.
