KUCHING, Sept 7 — A businessman ‘Datuk’ and his family were in tears when the Children’s Court here allowed their four ‘adopted’ children to return home after about two months under the State Welfare Department’s care.

Magistrate Maris Agan today granted the release after hearing  an application from the family to revoke an order made at the Children’s Court on Aug 27.

The businessman’s lawyer, who refused to be named, told reporters that the court set aside the earlier court order on Aug 27 and each of the children would be placed under the custody of their representative parents.

He said the court also ordered each parent to execute a personal bond of RM5,000 and the children may not leave the country while Welfare Department officials would visit the children once a month.

The four children, aged between a few months and 12 years, were claimed to have been adopted by the Datuk and his wife who were remanded in connection with the baby-for-sale racket in July.

All four have birth certificates, two under the Datuk’s name, one under the Datuk’s son, and another under a relative’s name.

However, their DNA did not match that of their named parents.

Family members were in tears and hugging each other after the court allowed the four children to return home for the coming Hari Raya.

The 65-year-old Datuk and his 43-year-old wife were seen kissing and hugging a 12-year-old girl, the only child present at the court today.

When met by reporters, the Datin said she was happy that the four children could go home with them for Hari Raya.

“I thank god for the release of my four children. As a mother I feel very happy that all four will be able to return home and it means a lot to me,” she told reporters before rushing to the Welfare Department’s Children Home near here to take the children home.

The Datuk and his wife were among 17 people detained under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, following the arrest of an Indonesian woman who allegedly tried to sell a baby girl to an undercover cop for RM10,000 on July 17.

All the suspects have since been released after their remand orders expired and none have been charged yet.

Eight children, aged one month to 12 years were found and placed under the care of the state Welfare Department.

However, three were later released, including the Datuk’s three-year-old grandson and the alleged supplier’s two children. — Bernama