Melaka magistrates hear guilty pleas from teenage pair accused of hiding baby’s birth and preventing live delivery

MELAKA, May 8 — A young couple pleaded guilty at the Ayer Keroh Magistrate’s Court today to two separate charges involving the concealment of a baby’s birth and the consumption of medication to prevent a live birth last month.

Adam Harith Ahmad, 18, and his girlfriend, aged 17 years and 10 months, entered their pleas after the charges were read before Magistrates Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman and Uthman Abd Ghani.

Adam Harith was charged with secretly concealing a birth by wrapping a deceased infant and placing it in the trunk of a car in Kampung Batu Gajah, Merlimau, Jasin, at approximately 11.40pm on April 25.

He was charged under Section 318 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of up to two years, a fine, or both upon conviction.

Magistrate Sharda Shienha subsequently allowed the accused bail at RM3,500 and set June 10 for the mention of the case while awaiting chemistry reports and a social report from the Social Welfare Department (JKM).

In a separate proceeding, the teenage girl was charged with taking the drug Misoprostol with the intent to prevent a child from being born alive at a room in Taman Sutera Wangi, Batu Berendam, at approximately 10.00am on the same day.

This offence was charged under Section 315 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine, or both upon conviction.

Magistrate Uthman allowed the accused, who was not represented by a lawyer, bail at RM1,500 and set July 9 for the JKM social report.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Syaza Nur Sharif and Prosecuting Officer Inspector Nur Zaidah Muhamad Zailani, while Adam Harith was represented by lawyer Mohd Farid Abdul Aziz. — Bernama