KUALA LUMPUR: A Japanese woman has pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here to a charge of concealing the birth of a baby girl by dumping the infant in a shopping mall toilet five days ago.
Noda Junko, 36, was charged on Friday (Jan 17) with concealing the birth of a baby by disposing of the infant’s body in the women’s washroom of a Cheras shopping mall between 3pm and 5.15pm on Jan 12.
The charge, under Section 318 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum sentence of two years’ jail, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nursyuhada Husna Sulaiman proposed RM10,000 bail with two sureties. However, lawyer Muhammad Afif Che Had, representing the accused, appealed for a lower bail, citing that it was his client's first offence.
"My client has been living and working in Malaysia for almost three years and has no previous criminal record,” said the lawyer.
Magistrate Noorelynna Hanim Abd Halim granted the accused bail of RM6,000 with two sureties and imposed an additional condition that the woman’s international passport be surrendered to the court pending the disposal of the case.
The court fixed March 27 for case mention. - Bernama
