A 23-year-old Thai woman was fined BND1,000 by the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to causing a public nuisance and breaching the privacy of students and staff at a local school by posting a video on TikTok.
Sumaiyah Daraso, who claims to have no permanent employment in Brunei, faces a month’s imprisonment if she fails to pay the fine.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Siti Khalillah Hussin and Nur Ruzana Adnan revealed that Sumaiyah had uploaded a video on October 11, showing students leaving the school premises, complete with a caption and background audio.
The video included footage of students’ faces and a vehicle used for pickup, which Sumaiyah posted publicly on her TikTok account.
Although she later deleted the video, it had already been downloaded and widely shared on other TikTok accounts, quickly going viral.
The incident was reported to the Royal Brunei Police Force, resulting in her prosecution under Section 268 of the Penal Code, Chapter 22, for committing an act of public annoyance.
In delivering the sentence, Magistrate Hajah Normazdina Haji Md Maskub acknowledged the prosecution’s emphasis on the gravity of the incident, stressing the importance of students and staff having the assurance that their privacy is protected during daily school activities.
The prosecution urged the court to impose a fine that would reflect the seriousness of the offence and serve as a deterrent for future misconduct. – Fadley Faisal
