JB court rejects dad's guilty plea, sends child neglect case to trial

JOHOR BARU: The Sessions Court here has rejected a guilty plea by a scrap metal collector accused of neglecting his teenage son.

Sessions judge Datuk Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim said the accused should instead have a chance at trial to prove his innocence.

The 56-year-old man pleaded guilty earlier after the charge was read out to him here on Monday (July 15).

According to the charge sheet, the father of two was accused of neglecting his 14-year-old son, who is under his care, by leaving him to sleep along a corridor outside their flat.

The incident allegedly occurred between 10pm on July 7 and 8am on July 9 at a block of flats in Pasir Gudang here.

He was accused of an offence under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and faced a fine of RM50,000 or a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment or both upon conviction.

After entering his plea, the accused – who was not represented – told the court that his son was stubborn and would not listen to him.

He claimed that each member of his family, including the victim – the younger or two siblings – had keys to the flat.

“I gave him (the victim) a key but he does not want to go in. It is all right, I understand, I just pleaded guilty.

“He is like that ... (he) does not want to listen and the only way for me to communicate with him is through my wife. I always stay up late but he never comes home," he added.

After listening to his explanation, Che Wan Zaidi rejected the plea and gave the accused a chance to prove his innocence by sending the matter to trial.

“A confession of guilt must be made unconditionally and the accused must admit the facts of the case. If this is the (situation), the case will be tried and the court will give you a chance to prove your innocence," he said.

Bail was set at RM3,000 with one surety, and the accused was told not to approach any of the witnesses, including the alleged victim.

He also set July 29 for case management and advised the accused to appoint a lawyer.

DPP Sharifah Natasha Syed Ahmad prosecuted.