KUALA LUMPUR: A psychiatrist told the Sessions Court today that Bella gestured that her hands were tied and rubbed her eyes while saying ‘chilli’ when the Down syndrome girl was interviewed 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 Bella in a room at the hospital on Sept 30 2021.
“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 showed her eyes and said ‘chilli’ without being asked,” 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 can say ‘hot’, Dr 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 Dr Wan Asyikin, even though Bella can answer questions, she has an intellectual disability and the teenage girl can still manage 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,” she said.
The witness said Bella also informed that she was good at doing housework including folding and drying clothes while at the nursing 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.
Dr Wan Asyikin also agreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that she had never seen Bella mop, clean, sweep and prepare drinking water in addition to admitting that there were words that Bella said were difficult to understand because the teenager was slurred and answered only one word when answering questions.
To Nur A’minahtul Mardiah’s suggestion that there was no evidence from Bella mentioning the words hot water splash and Dr Wan Asyikin replied, ‘agreed’.
Earlier, Dr Rashid Khan Khan Mohamad, 58, from Klinik Setapak dan Sugeri said Siti Bainun met him on June 2 2021 to get medicine for the treatment of hot water injuries.
“She (Siti Bainun) came to the clinic complaining that her ‘daughter’ was splashed with hot water on May 9, 2021 and she wanted medicine including 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 deputy public prosecutor Fazeedah Faik.
Asked about the function of the drugs, the 16th prosecution witness replied that combiderm cream is to reduce inflammation, reduce itching and bacterial infection while motilium tablets are for the purpose of treating 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. – BERNAMA
