Kota Kinabalu: A 49-year-old man was charged with two counts of sexually harassing his two grandnephews.
The man pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim to the charges against him on Friday.
On the first count, the man is accused of committing the offence by touching the eight-year-old boy between 1am and 4am on May 12, 2020 at a house in Tuaran.
On the second count, the man allegedly committed the offence by touching the boy’s brother aged 11, at the same place and time.
The offence, under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction.
The court released the man on a bail of RM10,000 in two local sureties with permanent address and job for each charge.
The court also imposed additional conditions on the man namely, to report to Penampang police station every second and fourth Friday of the month and to not communicate with any of the prosecution witness as well as the family member of the alleged victims.
If the man failed to furnish the bail amount, he would be detained under Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure of Code and failure to adhere all the conditions, the bail would be revoked.
The court set Aug 26 this year for mention of the case.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Dacia Jane Romanus objected to bail the man saying that the alleged victims were the man’s grandchildren but if the court wish to grant bail, she suggested RM15,000 bail for each of the charge with additional conditions to be imposed on him.
However, counsel Mohd Syazwan Shah Mohd Ali who defended the man, asked for the bail sum to be reduced saying that the man was no flight risk, he wanted to defence himself and he is staying in Penampang while the alleged victims are residing in Tuaran.
Mohd Syazwan informed the court that the man has a history suffering from tuberculosis and shortness of breath.
According to Mohd Syazwan, the family members of the man, were ready to post the bail if granted.
