By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, July 26: An ustaz, who is the principal of a tahfiz school in Niah, has claimed trial in a Sessions Court to nine counts of sexual abuse offences against his students.
The accused, 35, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Steve Ritikos, here, today.
He is facing three charges of sexually stimulating a male student and six charges of molesting three male students of the religious school in Batu Telingai.
According to the charges, three of the victims had filed police reports of the alleged molestation incidents that started in February 2016.
The principal was accused of three counts of sexually stimulating a 14-year-old boy. All three offences were allegedly to have been committed at 10.30pm in February 2016; 9am in November, 2016 and May, 2017, at the school office.
The accused was also alleged to have molested another 14-year-old boy twice, with both offences allegedly committed at his office in February and June, this year.
For the third and fourth victim, the accused allegedly committed similar offences by touching the body of a 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy twice.
He was alleged to have molested the 15-year-old in January and April this year at the same office.
The Judge has fixed Aug 23 for cases’ management and allowed bail at RM12,000 with four local sureties for all charges.
The accused was charged under Section 377E of the Penal Code and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
DDP Aftal Mariz prosecuted, while the accused was represented by defence counsel Shikh Rajjish. — DayakDaily
