Kota Kinabalu: A 63-year-old man claimed trial to sexually harassing a 14-year-old student.
Salim Wagiu made the plea after the charge was read to him before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus.
Salim is accused of committing the offence against the girl by holding her right hand and fondling her breasts at 1.30pm on April 4 this year inside a car along Jalan Kg Kerongkom to Kg Bundusan in Kota Marudu.
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 set Oct 13 this year for pre-trial case management and his bail was extended.
On May 10, Salim was brought to court but no plea was recorded from him pending the chemist and medical reports.
He was then released on bail of RM15,000 with RM10,000 deposited in two local sureties with several conditions to be imposed on him.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lokman appeared for the prosecution while Salim was not represented.
In another case, a 29-year-old man was sentenced to five years and two months’ jail plus a stroke of the cane for taking drugs repeatedly.
Nashruddin Moksar pleaded guilty to the charge against him.
He was arrested on July 1 this year at 9.30am after testing positive at the Kota Belud police station.
He has three previous convictions for taking the drug.
The court ordered Nashurddin to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest and placed under police supervision for three years after completing the jail sentence.
