By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Aug 15: The High Court today dismissed an appeal by a boarding school counselling teacher convicted of sexually assaulting six male students but ordered his prison sentences to run concurrently, resulting in a total of 15 years behind bars.
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah delivered the decision after rejecting the 35-year-old defendant’s bid to overturn his conviction and sentencing by the Sessions Court on October 21, 2022.
Originally, the teacher had been handed a cumulative 90-year prison term—15 years for each of the six charges—but the High Court ruled that the sentences would run simultaneously. The court also upheld the 24 strokes of caning imposed by the lower court.
All six charges were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable under Section 14 of the same act, read together with Section 16, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and caning upon conviction.
According to case facts, between 11.30pm and 4am in March, April, and May 2018, the teacher committed the acts on the students, aged 14 to 16, on separate occasions within the school premises.
The accused had reportedly been suspended from duty since being charged in 2018 and had taken on various part-time jobs to support his family.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Azhari Yusof handled the case. — DayakDaily
