A 34-YEAR-OLD Bangladeshi woman, Begum Masuma, was brought before the Johor Bahru Sessions Court today charged with deliberately inflicting grievous bodily harm on her boyfriend by severing his genitalia with a knife two weeks ago.
Begum initially pleaded guilty through a court-appointed interpreter in front of Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail, but the plea was rejected as it was conditional and she only understood portions of the charge.
“Pleae undertand, it was a husband’s mistake,” she reportedly said, indicating limited comprehension and blaming the victim.
According to the charge sheet, Begum is accused of intentionally causing serious injury to 33-year-old Babu Mondol using a knife, a weapon capable of causing death if misused. The incident allegedly took place around 1 a.m. on 8 October at a residence near a squatter area behind a factory in Gelang Patah.
She faces charges under Section 326 of the Penal Code, which carries a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine if convicted.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Zuhainie Zull Kafli informed the court that the offence is non-bailable, and no bail would be recommended due to three reasons: the accused being a foreigner, serious nature of the injury inflicted on her live-in partner, and the absence of valid documentation.
Begum was also separately charged in the Magistrate’s Court for lacking valid documentation to enter Malaysia under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. This offence, committed at the Gelang Patah Police Station on the same day, carries a maximum fine of RM10,000, up to five years’ imprisonment, or both.
Magistrate Atifah Hazimah Wahab rejected the accused’s plea in this case as well, citing inadequate understanding of the charge as interpreted.
Both courts scheduled the next mention on 11 November to arrange for a Bangladeshi interpreter.
The incident attracted media attention on 9 October when reports emerged that Begum had acted out of jealousy upon discovering that her boyfriend still had a wife in his home country. - October 23, 2025
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