Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

Kota Kinabalu: A 38-year- old man was freed of a charge of committing physical sexual harassment against his niece, without his defence being called.

The man was discharged and acquitted by Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan who ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the man.

The man was accused of committing the offence against the 10-year and 10-month-old girl by fondling her breasts during the day on Dec 31, 2022 at a house in Penampang.

He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Againts Children Act 2017, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, on conviction.

Four witnesses had been called by the prosecution during the hearing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Francis who stood in for DPP Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim conducted the prosecution while counsels Mohammad Syazwan Shah, Nigel Neong Kaning and Hannan Razaini defended the man.