By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 15: The Kuching High Court has overturned the Sessions Court’s decision and quashed the conviction of a 57-year-old school teacher who was previously found guilty of sexually assaulting a male student.
Judicial Commissioner Zaleha Mohd Yusuf Pan delivered the decision after allowing the teacher’s appeal against his conviction and sentence handed down by the Sessions Court on Jan 16, 2024.
In her judgment, Zaleha, after reviewing the submissions and evidence presented, exercised her discretion to set aside both the single amended charge and the corresponding sentence.
The amended charge had been framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable under Section 14 and read together with Section 16 of the same Act, which provides for a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment and caning upon conviction.
According to the case facts, the alleged incident occurred on April 25, 2022, at about 1.05pm within the school premises, where the teacher was accused of committing a sexual act against a 16-year-old student.
The accused had been suspended from duty since being charged in 2022 and had taken up various part-time jobs to support his family during the course of the proceedings.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Aida Nurdiana Che Kamarulzaman appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by counsels Dato Shankar Ram and Shemira Adzhar. — DayakDaily
