PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal upheld a six-year jail sentence imposed on the former babysitter of Adam Rayqal Mohd Sufi Naeif, a five-month-old baby whose body was found in a freezer three years ago.
A three-member bench comprising Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Seri Mariana Yahya made the decision after Deputy Public Prosecutor Fauziah Daud decided to withdraw the prosecution’s appeal against the jail sentence handed down by the Shah Alam High Court on Noor Aqilah Abd Rahman, 36.
Lawyer Mohd Redzuan Mohamed Yusoff told the panel that his client also intended to withdraw the appeal against the High Court decision.
The Court of Appeal then quashed the appeals of both parties. Noor Aqilah was ordered to serve the jail term from Feb 14, 2019.
On the same date, the Selayang Sessions Court sentenced Noor Aqilah to three years and six months’ jail and a fine of RM5,000 after she pleaded guilty to the charge of exposing the baby boy in a manner that was likely to cause him head injuries.
The woman was also ordered to serve a six-month jail sentence if she failed to pay the fine apart from being given a three-year good behaviour bond with RM8,000 bail and to serve 200 hours of community service in six months.
Noor Aqilah was also sentenced to 18 months in jail after she pleaded guilty to disposing of Adam Rayqal's body with intent to conceal his death to escape punishment.
She was charged with committing the offences at her rented house in Jalan Nakhoda Kiri 3, Batu Caves, here between 6.20pm and 6.50pm on July 3, 2018.
On August 8, 2019, the Shah Alam High Court allowed the prosecution's appeal and increased the jail term to six years for offences under the Child Act 2001 and maintained the jail term for charges under Section 201 of the Penal Code and other punishments meted out by the Sessions Court.
Mohd Redzuan, when met by reporters after the proceedings, said his client had paid a fine of RM10,000 and served the community for 200 hours. - Bernama