A secondary school teacher was charged in the Magistrate’s Court in Besut on Wednesday with seven counts of sexual grooming involving two male students.
The accused, Darusalam Ab. Rahman, 42, pleaded not guilty after all charges were read before Judge Ahmad Fadhli Mahmud.
According to the charge sheets, Darusalam faces five charges involving a 17-year-old male student. The alleged offences were said to have taken place at several locations in Besut and Kuala Terengganu between May 5 and May 11.
Two of the charges were brought under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, while the remaining three were filed under Section 12(1) of the same Act.
He also faces two additional charges involving a 15-year-old male student. The alleged offences were said to have occurred in a toilet at a secondary school in Besut.
For those charges, Darusalam was charged under Sections 14(a) and 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
The case follows the arrest of a teacher at his family home in Besut on May 26 to assist police investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct involving two male students.
The incident previously drew widespread public attention after claims about a teacher’s alleged inappropriate conduct were circulated on social media following disclosures made by a Facebook influencer.
The allegations sparked calls from netizens urging the Ministry of Education and relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation, citing concerns over student safety and welfare.
The court proceedings are ongoing.
