By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Oct 3: A boarding school warden was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to receive 10 strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old male student.
Judge Musli Abdul Hamid delivered the sentence against the 42-year-old, ruling that the prosecution had successfully established a prima facie case.
The accused, who has served as a teacher for 15 years, was convicted under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 14 of the same Act. The law provides for up to 20 years’ imprisonment and caning upon conviction.
The offence took place on Oct 28, 2022, at around 6.30am in the warden’s quarters located on the second floor of a boys’ hostel in Kuching. Court records stated that the victim, who was unwell with a high fever, had gone to seek help from the warden when the assault occurred.
The victim lodged a police report on Nov 18, 2023, and later testified in court on Oct 24, 2024. The judge ruled that the delay in reporting was reasonable, noting that the boy felt ashamed and feared the matter would disrupt his preparations for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations.
The court also dismissed the defence’s claim that the accused was not on duty that day, citing the absence of supporting evidence.
During submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, highlighting the trauma suffered by the victim and stressing the accused’s duty as a warden to safeguard students under his care.
Defence counsel Steven Beti, however, appealed for leniency, citing his client’s cooperation during the trial and long service as an educator.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Musli ordered the jail term to commence on Oct 2, 2025. The court also directed the accused to undergo counselling while serving his sentence and placed him under police supervision for three years upon release. — DayakDaily
