KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — A policeman told the Magistrate’s Court here today that he saw Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin’s ex-wife in fear, crying and complaining that she was beaten by the businessman when he went to the couple’s house in Desa Sri Hartamas seven years ago.

Sergeant Saleh Omar Osman, 43, from the Patrol Car Branch, Brickfields District Police Headquarters, said he received a call from the control centre (IPD Brickfields) on November 22, 2015 informing there was a fight at the house and then proceeded to the location with his colleague.

Recalling the incident, the fourth prosecution witness said the house gate was open when he arrived and he saw a man standing at the car park.

"The man allowed us to enter and when my colleague asked him if anything was wrong, he said ‘nothing’. After that, a woman (Emilia Hanafi) came out of the house and showed me her arm, with bruises on it. There were also bruises on her face.

"The victim (Emilia) was in fear, crying and complaining that her husband (while pointing to the man) had hit her. The man just kept quiet,” he said while reading out his witness statement at the trial of SM Faisal who is charged with voluntarily causing injury to his ex-wife, Emilia Hanafi.

During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Nur Aishah Ahmad Zakiuddin, the witness identified the man standing at the car park as SM Faisal.

Saleh told the court that he then asked the victim to lodge a report at the Sri Hartamas Police Station.

Meanwhile, when cross-examined by SM Faisal’s lawyer, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, the witness said he agreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that he did not arrest SM Faisal, despite having the authority to do so then, because he regarded it as a domestic matter.

However, Salleh disagreed with Akberdin, who said that on the day of the incident (November 22, 2015), SM Faisal had told him (Salleh) that his wife attacked him and he had to defend himself, hence the bruises on the woman.

SM Faisal is charged with voluntarily causing hurt to Emilia, 43, at a house in Desa Sri Hartamas, Brickfields here, between 12.30pm and 4.30pm on November 22, 2015.

The charge framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 326A of the same code, provides for a maximum jail term of two years or a fine of up to RM2,000 or both, if convicted.

The hearing before Magistrate Nadia Othman continues tomorrow. — Bernama