SHAH ALAM, July 3 — An accountant pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to charges of leaving his two biological children, one with visual impairment and the other with mild autism, without reasonable supervision.
Thaha Abdul Latef, 39, made the plea after the charges were read out before Judge Norazlin Othman.
On the first count, he is charged as the father of a 10-year-old boy, who has mild autism, to have left the child in a house in Elmina Valley, Section U16, Shah Alam, on March 15, without making any arrangements for his proper care and supervision.
The accused is also charged with committing a similar offence on his visually impaired 12-year-old daughter at the same place and date.
The charges were framed under Section 33(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which provides a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or imprisonment for up to two years or both upon conviction.
Thaha was allowed bail of RM10,000 and ordered to report to a nearby police station once a month and surrender his passport to the court, which then set September 4 for mention.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Sofea Jaysal prosecuted, while lawyer Mohd Redzuan Mohamed Yusoff represented the accused.
— Bernama
