Netizens Made #JusticeForBella Trending After Lawyer Shares Photo with Alleged Abuser Siti Bainun

By Karissa Lund  •  15 Apr 2022 in News

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For the past few weeks, there have been tremendous updates regarding the abuse of a 13-year-old girl with down syndrome, Bella, as the ongoing court trial has caught the attention of the public.

To refresh, Siti Bainun, 30, had pleaded not guilty to two charges of neglecting and abusing the teenager to the point of the victim suffering injuries and also emotionally.

The offences were allegedly committed at a condominium in Wangsa Maju, between February and June 2021, under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years or a fine of RM50,000 or both, upon condition.

Just yesterday (14 April), Berita Harian reported that Bella was refused water because she did not obey Siti Bainun.

It was also reported that Yasmin Nahar Mahmood, the fifth prosecution witness, told the court that Bella was kicked in the stomach if she screamed and that chillies were fed to her. Bella had her head slammed against the wall and was ridiculed too, according to the witness.

Previously, Yasmin also said in her testimony that she was instructed by Siti Bainun to bite Bella’s belly if the teenager does not want to follow orders.

Today (15 April), netizens came together on social media platforms, specifically Twitter and Instagram, to show support for the OKU victim. Twitter has been flooded with strong-worded tweets and the hashtag #JusticeForBella is currently trending in Malaysia.

The tweets and retweets came after a lawyer shared a photograph of Siti Bainun with part of her line-up of seven legal experts. While there are some tweets focusing on Bella’s abuse, many expressed anger at the photo with some asking if such a posting was necessary.

Take a look:

Meanwhile, lawyer Syahredzan Johan on Twitter, while not directly referencing any social media post, wrote: “I have represented individuals who I personally think are scum of the earth. But even scum have the right to legal representation. Everyone has the right; this is the principle I believe in. But I wouldn’t take photos with these kind of people and post them on my social media.”

The trial before judge Izralizam Sanusi continues tomorrow.