THE single mother who was sentenced to six months in jail and whipping for soliciting for sex in Terengganu last month has to remain in jail even after she obtained a stay on her sentence.

This is because she could not produce three sureties for her bail.

The woman’s lawyer, Che Nur Intan Nazuha Che Mohd Norudi, told The Malaysian Insight, that the woman had raised bail of RM4,500 through a crowdfunding campaign initiated by the public.

“But she was not able to get three sureties as requested by judge Rosdi Harun from the Kuala Terangganu shariah court,” the lawyer said.

“I argued with the judge that she was not a local from Terengganu and she came from a broken family and her siblings are not helping much, but the judge insisted on the three sureties.”

The 30-year-old woman is from Selangor and will now have to remain in jail.

According to reports, the single mother was charged with prostitution at the Terengganu Syariah Court. The charge carries a jail term of not more than three years, or a fine not exceeding RM5,000, or six strokes of the rotan, or any combination of the punishment.

The lawyer disclosed that only two of her sisters have agreed stand as sureties while one of her brothers refused to help. The other brother has not been told what had happened.

“I was informed that this brother is hot-headed and the woman might be in serious trouble if he finds out about this,” the lawyer said.

Last month, Syariah judge Rosdi sentenced her to six months in prison and six strokes of the rotan.

The woman turned to prostitution to make ends meet after her ex-husband refused to support her and their seven-year-old daughter.

Following the sentencing, Farah Adilla Radin, a journalist from The New Straits Times launched the Go Get Funding campaign to help the single mother pay for her legal fees. – October 15, 2018.