KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — A primary school teacher pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to committing physical sexual assault on his 13-year-old former male student five months ago.
Wen Beng Heng, 54, is charged as a person who had a relationship of trust over the child, namely a teacher, with committing the act for sexual purposes in a house in Jinjang Utara at 10.30 pm in mid-April this year.
The charge, framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16(1) of the same act, carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Noor Shakira Aliana Alias did not offer any bail as the offence is non-bailable.
However, she said that if bail is granted, the prosecution has requested it be set at RM50,000, with additional conditions requiring the accused to report to the police station every month, surrender his passport to the court, and refrain from disturbing the victim and prosecution witnesses.
“In this case, the accused was the victim’s teacher while he was in primary school,” said Shakira.
Lawyer S. Muraliraj, representing the accused, requested that the court grant bail, saying that his client had family to care for and had fully cooperated with the police investigation.
Judge Azrul Darus allowed the accused bail of RM20,000 with one surety and ordered him to report to the Jinjang police station every month and surrender his passport to the court pending the disposal of the case.
The court fixed November 21 for mention of the case.
In the same court, the secretary of a Joint Management Body at a People’s Housing Programme flat pleaded not guilty to committing physical sexual assault on an 11-year-old girl.
Abdul Halim Mohamed Nasir, 60, is charged with committing the offence at the JMB office in Wangsa Maju at 10.35pm on September 9.
The charge under Section 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 provides for a prison sentence of not more than 20 years and whipping if convicted.
Azrul allowed bail of RM15,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month and to avoid disturbing the victim and her family.
The case has been set for mention on November 21.
— Bernama
