Malaysian policewoman in viral video charged with criminal intimidation, insulting man’s modesty

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian policewoman who got herself in hot water for

shouting at her colleagues

and arguing with a female civilian has been charged in court.

Sheila Sharon Steven Kumar, 35, pleaded not guilty to two charges (Section 506 and 509 of the Penal Code) before Magistrate Chai Guan Hock and one charge (Section 509 of the same Code) before Magistrate Nur Hafizah Rajuni at the Selayang Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Section 506 of the Penal Code is for criminal intimidation which involves a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both upon conviction. Section 509 of the same Code is for insulting the modesty of any person by word, through sound, gesture or exhibiting any object intentionally, and involves a maximum jail sentence of five years or fine, or both, upon conviction.

At the first court, Sheila, who is attached to the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department, was accused of making criminal threats to a 69-year-old woman in a shop lot in Taman Sri Gombak at around noon on June 15.

She was charged with insulting the modesty of a 41-year-old man an hour after the first incident at the same location on the same day.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Nur Iman Wan Ahmad Afzal offered bail at RM8,000 (S$2,300).

Sheila’s lawyer Manoharan Malayalam pleaded for the magistrate to issue a bond on the accused instead, on account that she was a serving police officer who has a clean background and has always put her career first.

Magistrate Chai fixed bail for RM3,000.

The case is set for mention on Aug 7.

At a separate court before Magistrate Nur Hafizah, Sheila faced her third charge where she was accused of intimidating a male policeman of a lance corporal rank with intent to insult his modesty around 1.25pm on the same day and location as the previous two charges.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Anis Farhan Ahmad Hilmi proposed a RM5,000 bail in one surety.

However, Mr Manoharan pleaded for the Magistrate to tie the bail with the previous case before Magistrate Chai.

Magistrate Nur Hafizah then fixed bail at RM2,000 bail and also fixed Aug 7 for mention.

Mr Manoharan said after the court proceedings that there were initially a total of six charges against Sheila, but three were dropped.

Sheila made the news earlier this month when a viral video emerged showing her arguing with other police personnel and civilians.

She was detained on June 18 by Gombak police and subsequently released on police bail. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK