Lolanopita gets four months' jail, fined RM10,000 for neglecting disabled son

Lolanopita Sadi, the mother of disabled child Muhammad Firdaus Dullah, was sentenced to four months' jail and fined RM10,000 by the Sessions Court here today after she pleaded guilty to two charges of neglecting the boy.

Judge Kamarudin Kamsun handed down the sentence after taking into consideration the interests of Muhammad Firdaus, the accused and the public.

"Muhammad Firdaus' well-being is the main priority. According to the facts of the case, Muhammad Firdaus is depending solely on his mother's love," he said.

The 40-year-old Lolanopita, clad in a 'baju kurung' and a blue scarf, appeared calm during the sentencing.

She was first brought before the court on June 27 to face the charges of willful negligence of her special-needs child, during which she pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to both charges.

On the first charge, Lolanopita was accused of abandoning her son as to cause him physical and emotional trauma in a room of their flat unit house at Flat Semarak, Nilai, between January and 2.30 am on June 21 this year.

The offence, under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, carries a fine of up to RM20,000 or 10 years' imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.

She was also charged with neglecting the boy by leaving him without reasonable supervision at the same place at 2.30 am last June 21.

The offence, under Section 33(c) of the same law, carries a fine of up to RM5,000 or two years' jail or both upon conviction.

For the first charge, Lolanopita was sentenced to four months' jail and fined RM6,000 in default two month's jail, while for the second charge, she was sentenced to three months' jail and fined RM4,000 in default one month's jail.

The court ordered her to serve the jail sentence concurrently from today.

The prosecution was represented by head of Negeri Sembilan prosecution unit, Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, while Lolanopita was represented by lawyer Hanif Hassan.