A woman and her male friend were each fined RM5,500 by the Shah Alam Magistrate’s Court for concealing a birth by burying a baby’s body.

SHAH ALAM: A woman and her male friend were each fined RM5,500 by the Magistrate’s Court here today after pleading guilty to concealing a birth by burying a baby’s body.

Nur Atisha Balqis Ismail, 22, and Muhamad Razi, 26, entered their guilty pleas to a joint charge before Magistrate Wan Noora Nisa Ngadirin.

The court ordered that they serve nine months’ imprisonment if they fail to pay the fine.

They were charged with burying the body of a baby who had died before, during, or after birth at the Section 21 Islamic Cemetery here at 7pm on Feb 17.

The charge was framed under Section 318 of the Penal Code, which provides for a sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

Lawyer Hazwan Hassan, representing Muhamad Razi, said in mitigation that his client had no intention of concealing the birth as the baby had already died.

Lawyer Muhamad Saifullah Muhamad Azmi, representing Nur Atisha, pleaded for a fine only on the grounds that his client is a young first-time offender.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Amirah Zahari sought an appropriate sentence as a lesson to both accused.

 The Sun Malaysia