Topless in Petaling Street: Accused out on bail

After an eight-day detention at the Kajang Prison, a woman who allegedly went topless in Jalan Petaling here recently, was released on bail by the magistrate's court today.

Magistrate Siti Radziah Kamarudin allowed Persana Avril Sollunda, 33, bail of RM7,000 in one surety.

She imposed an additional two conditions, namely that the accused surrender her passport to the court, and report at the nearest police station once a fortnight.

Siti Radziah also ordered the woman from Sabah not to leave Peninsular Malaysia until her case was over.

The accused, dressed in a long black coat, short skirt and boots was bailed out by her younger brother.

Before the proceedings, Sollunda, a spa employee and part-time model was seen happily talking to another accused who was with her in the dock.

On April 28, she was charged in a magistrate's court for stripping in public when she failed to settle her bill at a chicken rice shop.

A video of her with her shirt and bra removed was recorded and went viral on the social media.

On that day, the court did not grant her bail as no guarantor was present.

Sollunda was charged with committing a lewd act in public at Jalan Petaling, here at 2.07pm on April 23, under Section 294 (a) of the Penal Code which carries a maximum prison sentence of three months or a fine, or both upon conviction.

The court once again read the charge against Sollunda who maintained her not guilty plea after the charge was explained to her by her lawyer, Muhammad Nor Izzat Nordin.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor N. Joy Jothi urged the court to impose a RM10,000 bail in two sureties on the grounds that the accused might leave Peninsular Malaysia.

However, Nor Izzat appealed to reduce the bail to RM1,000 as it was a minor offence.

He argued that the bail was not to punish the accused but to ensure her presence in court for the next hearing.

The court fixed May 29 for re-mention.