KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — A babysitter today pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today on a charge of abusing a five-month-old baby boy who suffered bruises on his left thigh and minor wounds on his right hand in January.

Noraini Mohamad, 46, made the plea after the charge was read by the interpreter before Judge Izralizam Sanusi.

The woman was charged with committing the offence at Taska De Sayang, Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra in Putrajaya between 7.30am and 5.30pm on January 7 under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or jail up to 20 years or both upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor, Afiq Nazrin Zaharinan proposed bail at RM5,000 in one surety and the accused was required to report to the nearest police station once a month but the accused represented by counsel K. Navin Kumar appealed for the bail to be lowered as she is a single mother with five children.

"Her husband has passed away, two of her children are still in school, one in college and one more in Year Six... She was living in the nursery and was only paid RM1,000 a month and did not have any past criminal record,” he said.

The court allowed the accused to go on bail at RM3,000 in one surety and was required to report herself to the police station until the case is settled and set August 7 for mention of the case. — Bernama