Four months’ jail for disposing stillborn baby

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SIBU: An Indonesian woman was sentenced to three months’ jail and fined RM1,000 by a Magistrates’ Court here yesterday for concealing the stillbirth of a baby boy and disposing the body near the river bank somewhere in Belaga.

Reni Mastur, 31, failed to pay the fine and was ordered to stay behind bars for an additional month.

She was charged under Section 318 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both upon conviction.

She admitted having committed the offence about 4pm on March 13 near the workers’ quarters of a timber camp in Belaga District.

According to the facts of the case, she had stomach pains and went to a river bank to answer nature’s call.

Her stomach was still aching after defecating and not long after, gave birth to a boy believed to be stillborn.

She buried the body in the sand.

The camp supervisor found Reni unconscious in her room with blood coming out from her genital at 11.55am on March 14.

He brought her to a clinic and was later referred to Bintulu Hospital.

A police report was lodged the same day.

Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi presided over the case while a lawyer appointed by the Indonesian consulate represented Reni.