Legal research officer at a law firm, Suhana Zam, 40, told the court that she was sitting at a dining table in a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju, owned by Siti Bainun, during the incident in May 2021.
“Bella was standing facing Siti Bainun in front of the refrigerator and there was a wooden bench there. I saw Bainun put a plate of fried rice and a lot of cut chillies, much more than the fried rice.
“She (Siti Bainun) mixed the fried rice. She held Bella’s chin and forced Bella to eat it. Bella refused, but was forced to eat.
“I was surprised to see Bella was treated like that. I didn’t say anything because at that time I didn’t want to confront Siti Bainun face to face.
“I was worried about her reaction if confronted,” Suhana said during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Mohamad at Siti Bainun’s trial.
In previous proceedings, Rumah Bonda resident Yasmin Nahar Mahmood, 18, told the court that Bella had been fed a pot of rice that had vinegar, turmeric, salt, soy sauce, chilli and chilli flakes, as well as rotten fried chicken, by Siti Bainun during the fasting month.
Suhana also said she saw a palm-sized bruise on the right side of Bella’s face when she went to Siti Bainun’s house on June 13, 2021.
“I went to Siti Bainun’s house because she invited me to eat king crabs in ‘shell out’ style.
“When I arrived at the house at 5pm, I saw Bella’s hair was cut short and she was wearing a long-sleeved shirt. Bella looked scared and there was a bruise the size of a palm on the right side of her face. Bella’s condition was the worst that I had seen,” the witness added.
The eighth prosecution witness said that during her stay at the house, she saw Bella’s meal times were irregular, and whenever the teenager was punished to stand for hours by Siti Bainun, she did not see anyone giving the girl any food or drink.
To Nor Azizah’s question about Bella’s condition when the teenager was not given food and drink for hours, Suhana said that the teenager stood alone and could not speak.
Suhana added that Siti Bainun told her that Bella was not allowed to drink or she would urinate.
“I wanted to give food and drink to Bella, but I wasn’t sure if my actions would anger Siti Bainun. I was also scared of not following the house rules. It was Siti Bainun’s house.”
Siti Bainun, 30, faces two counts of neglecting and abusing Bella, causing her to suffer physical and emotional injuries.
She is charged with committing the offences at a condominium in Wangsa Maju here between February and June 2021.
The charge was framed under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act 2001, and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment or a fine of RM50,000, or both, if convicted.
The trial before judge Izralizam Sanusi continues.