AN accountant pleaded not guilty at the Shah Alam Sessions Court today to charges of leaving his two children — one with visual impairment and the other with mild autism — unsupervised at a residence in Elmina Valley, Shah Alam.
Thaha Abdul Latef, 39, entered the plea after the charges were read before Judge Norazlin Othman.
In the first charge, Thaha is accused of leaving his 10-year-old son alone in the house on 15 March, without making adequate arrangements for the child's care and supervision.
The second charge pertains to the same alleged offence committed against his 12-year-old daughter at the same location and date.
He was charged under Section 33(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and faces punishment under Section 33 of the same Act, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Sofea Jaysal prosecuted, while the accused was represented by lawyer Mohd Redzuan Mohamed Yusoff.
The court allowed bail at RM10,000 with additional conditions, including that the accused must report monthly to the nearest police station and surrender his passport to the court.
The case has been fixed for mention on 4 September. - July 3, 2025
