A young man was brought before the Sessions Court here on Thursday, facing nine charges of committing physical sexual abuse against two six-year-old girls at a surau in Bachok.
The accused, 28-year-old Muhammad Aiman Ahmad Shakir, pleaded not guilty after all charges were read out before Judge Zulkifli Abllah.
According to the first six charges, the accused allegedly committed physical sexual abuse against one of the six-year-and-five-month-old students at the surau between 5.30pm and 6pm on July 2 and 17.
For the seventh to ninth charges, he allegedly committed physical sexual abuse against another student, aged six years and four months, at the same location between 6pm and 6.30pm on August 13.
The charges were brought under Sections 14(a), 14(b), and 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792) and can be punished under the same sections read together with Section 16(1) of the Act due to the trust relationship between the accused and the victims.
If convicted, the accused could face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping, while Section 16(1) carries an additional maximum of five years’ imprisonment and a minimum of two strokes of the cane.
The prosecution is led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Kamarul Hasyime Rosli, while the accused is represented by lawyer Muhammad Zulfaqar Al-Basysyar Saharrudin.
Earlier, Kamarul Hasyime did not offer bail and requested a high bail sum if the court were to grant it. Muhammad Zulfaqar Al-Basysyar, however, appealed for bail, noting that his client had stopped teaching Quran at the surau.
He added, “The accused comes from a divorced family and has lived with his father along with his four siblings for many years. He has an education level up to the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) and resides in a remote area in Kok Lanas.”
During the proceedings, Judge Zulkifli emphasized the seriousness of the case, noting that the court takes the victims’ welfare into account.
“This is a serious case, not ordinary. The court considers not only the rights of the accused but also the circumstances of both victims,” he said.
The court set bail at RM24,000 with one local surety, conditional on surrendering the accused’s passport to authorities and requiring him to report to the nearest police station monthly.
The case is scheduled for mention again on October 8.
