I sell food to support my three sons - Emilia

KUALA LUMPUR: The former wife of Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin Kamal, Emilia Hanafi, told the Magistrate's Court here today that she had to work part-time as a food seller and do house decoration work to cover her children's expenses as a single mother.

Emilia Hanafi, 43, said that she chose to work part-time because she had to manage the schooling of her three sons, aged 17, 12 and 10, including dropping them off and fetching them from school.

"I support my children by selling food cooked from home," she said during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Nur Aishah Ahmad Zakiuddin, at the trial of SM Faisal, who is charged with voluntarily causing injury to Emilia, his ex-wife.

The seventh prosecution witness told the court that she took up a part-time job to support the family, including her three sons, for whom the interim maintenance of RM2,000 received for each child was insufficient.

"At the moment, my three children and I are staying at my parents' house," she said in tears.

Emilia testified today, after the court allowed the application of lawyer, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, who represented SM Faisal, for Emilia to be called to testify despite objection from the prosecution.

DPP Zahida Zakaria, however, informed the court that she will file a revision application against the court's order for Emilia to testify today.

Today's hearing was supposed to proceed with the sixth prosecution witness, Elisa Nani, who is Emilia's younger sister, to be cross-examined by the lawyer, but Akberdin applied for Emilia be called to testify first, because she is an important witness for the prosecution.

SM Faisal, 43, is charged with voluntarily causing hurt to Emilia, 43, at a house in Desa Sri Hartamas, Brickfields, here, between 12.30 pm and 4.30 pm on Nov 22, 2015.

The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, and is punishable under Section 326A of the same code, which provides imprisonment for up to two years or a maximum fine of RM2,000 or both, if convicted.

The hearing, before Magistrate Nadia Othman, continues on Feb 28.

-- BERNAMA