Kota Kinabalu: A 49-year-old primary teacher was charged with sexually and physically abusing a 12-year-old girl.
Mino Ersyah Arshad pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus, to the charge against him.
He is accused of committing the offence against the 12-year and seven-month-old girl by kissing her lips during the night of Aug 18, 2024 inside a car parked in Kg Lokub, Sepanggar, here.
The offence under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, on conviction.
The court set July 30 this year for pre-trial case management and Mino was released on bail of RM15,000 with RM10,000 deposited in two local sureties.
Mino was also ordered to report to the nearest police station, to surrender his passport to the court and to not tamper with the prosecution witnesses.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Shaferrah Mad Iskim appeared for the prosecution while Mino was represented by counsel Hamid Ismail.
