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A 22-year-old woman pleaded guilty in court today, 1 October, to selling her 3-month-old daughter to a couple for RM2,000
The accused, identified as Yan Chin Ding, appeared before Magistrate Rohatul Akmar Abdullah at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court.
The young mother nodded and pleaded guilty after the charge was read out to her in Mandarin by a court interpreter, reported China Press.
According to the charge, she was found handing over her 3-month-and-12-day-old baby to a 51-year-old man and his 35-year-old wife from Perak in exchange for RM2,000 around 8pm on 17 September in front of a laundromat at Banda Kaba in Melaka Tengah district.
She was charged under Section 48 of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both upon conviction.
The mother, originally from Klang, Selangor, had moved to Melaka while pregnant in search of employment
She has two other children, aged 2 and 3, who are being cared for by her parents.
Her husband works as a warehouse storekeeper, while she is a full-time housewife.
It is understood that the incident happened after she and her husband had argued over financial issues, leading her to secretly sell the baby.
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Noor Asninni requested that sentencing be postponed as the prosecution has yet to complete the case documents.
The magistrate granted bail at RM8,000 and set 14 October for sentencing.
The woman is required to report to the police monthly.
