BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Intermediate Court will sentence an Indonesian woman next month for the charge of infanticide.

The accused, Tutik, 41, pleaded guilty to the charge yesterday.

Official court documents submitted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Hjh Suhana Sudin states the accused discovered she was pregnant in July 2013 after a four year extramarital affair with a Malaysian man named Suhaimee.

On December 8, 2013, Tutik had fallen down while cleaning a drain. She began to experience pain and noticed vaginal bleeding to which she told another domestic helper, Tuswati, what had happened and went to rest after.

Sometime at noon, Tutik delivered the baby in a bathroom and in her state of panic and confusion, she immediately bundled up the infant with her underwear and wrapped the newborn again with two long pants. She then put the baby inside a white plastic pail, which she then covered with a plastic baby bath basin containing clothes. Sukesi, another domestic helper, told their employer’s daughter that Tutik had fallen down while cleaning earlier, and was bleeding. The accused was found pale and weak in bed, and refused medical attention.

An ambulance was called and Tutik was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department.

At about 8pm, another doctor examined Tutik, and asked Tuswati if she knew where the accused had lost blood. A post mortem by Specialist Pathologist Dr PU Telesinghe concluded that the cause of the infant’s death was due to aspiration of blood during unattended delivery.

A psychologist concluded that Tutik did not mean to cause harm to the baby, and was weak and in a state of panic at the time from losing too much blood. The report also stated that Tutik had nothing to gain from making up stories.

A psychiatric assessment of the accused concluded that Tutik did not exhibit signs or symptoms of any mental illness during the period of her admission to the psychiatry ward. Furthermore, she did not appear to be suffering from any mental illness during the time of her pregnancy.

However, the report stated that the accused’s mind was disturbed as she had not fully recovered from the effects of giving birth to a child which led to her negligent act of bundling up the baby and placing the infant in a bucket.

Presiding Intermediate Court judge Pg Hjh Hanani Pg Hj Metusain scheduled the sentencing for March 6.

The accused is facing up to five years in jail with fine.

The Brunei Times