Kota Kinabalu: Both a husband and his friend were charged separately with molesting a woman who happened to be the former’s wife in the Sessions Court on Wednesday.
The self-employed, 35, pleaded not guilty before Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, to abetting with Mohd Shahir Ibrahim, 32, to inserting his finger into the woman’s private part at a living room of a house in Tuaran on Jan 23 this year at 5.45am.
The woman was the 38-year-old wife of the main accused.
He was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code read together with Section 377CA of the same Code which provides for a jail term of between five and 30 years, and fine, on conviction.
Mohd Shahir also claimed trial to the alleged offence.
The court fixed March 4 this year for pre-trial case management and refused bail for both following objection by the prosecution.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Francis said the alleged victim is the wife of the main accused and they were staying in the same house. Mohd Shahir also lived in the same area and might tamper with the prosecution’s witnesses.
The husband claimed his wife lodged the report against him because she wanted a divorce.
Mohd Shahir claimed he was not living in the same area and denied committing the offence.
The court advised both of them to engage counsel to represent them during proceedings of their cases.
