KUALA LUMPUR: A psychiatrist told the sessions court today that Down Syndrome girl Bella indicated that her hands were tied and also rubbed her eyes while saying “chilli” during an interview last year.
Dr Wan Asyikin Wan Azlan, 37, who was previously serving at Tunku Azizah Hospital, said Bella made the gesture voluntarily when she and two other individuals interviewed the girl in a room at the hospital on Sept 30 last year.
“At that point, I asked Bella if she was making hot or cold water and the teenager kept gesturing that her hands were tied and saying ‘hot’.
“Bella also rubbed her eyes and said ‘chilli’ without being prompted,” she said during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Mohamad at the trial of Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali before judge Izralizam Sanusi.
Asked by Azizah how Bella was able to say “hot”, Wan Asyikin, who is currently working as a psychiatrist at Selayang Hospital, replied: “As far as I remember, Bella can say ‘hot’.
“When I asked Bella who did that to her, Bella mentioned ‘Benun’ (Siti Bainun). I asked Bella whether she wanted to meet Bainun (Siti Bainun) and go back to Rumah Bonda, Bella shook her head,” said the 17th prosecution witness.
According to Wan Asyikin, even though Bella was able to answer questions, she had an intellectual disability but she was able to take care of herself and make friends with other children.
“Most of the questions we asked, Bella could not answer and Bella was not asked specific questions, only simple questions,” he said.
The witness said Bella also mentioned that she was good at doing housework, including drying and folding clothes, while at the welfare home.
During cross-examination by lawyer Nur A’minahtul Mardiah Md Nor, who represented Siti Bainun, the witness agreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that she had never met or talked to Siti Bainun.
Wan Asyikin also agreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that she had never seen Bella mop, clean, sweep and prepare drinks. She also admitted that it was sometimes difficult to understand the teenage girl as her words were not clear and she gave monosyllabic answers.
Wan Asyikin also agreed with a suggestion by the lawyer that there was no evidence showing Bella had mentioned the words “hot water splash”.
Earlier, Dr Rashid Khan Mohamad, 58, from Klinik Setapak dan Surgeri, said Siti Bainun met him on June 2 last year to get medicine to treat injuries caused by hot water.
“She (Siti Bainun) came to the clinic complaining that her ‘daughter’ had been splashed with hot water on May 9, 2021 and she wanted some medicine. She also wanted some medicine for herself. For Siti Bainun, I gave two types of tablets, namely voltaren and motilium, while for her daughter, I gave combiderm cream and piriton tablets,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Fazeedah Faik.
Asked about the function of the drugs, the 16th prosecution witness replied that the combiderm cream was to help reduce inflammation, itching and bacterial infection while the motilium tablets were to treat nausea.
Siti Bainun, 30, is facing two charges of neglect and abuse of the teenage girl to the extent that the victim suffered physical and emotional injuries between February and June 2021 at a condominium in Wangsa Maju here.
The hearing before judge Izralizam continues tomorrow and Bella is expected to testify in an in-camera proceeding. - FMT
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