KLANG, Dec 6 — Celebrity preacher Azman Syah Alias was sentenced to 14 months in prison by the Magistrate’s Court here today after he pleaded guilty to committing gross indecency against a teenage boy two years ago.
Magistrate Amirul Asyraf Abd Rasid handed down the sentence on the 43-year-old preacher, also known as PU Azman, 43, after the court was informed his representation to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to change his plea was accepted.
Azman Syah had submitted the representation in October, and was ordered to serve the jail sentence from today.
According to the charge, framed under Section 377D of the Penal Code, he was alleged to have committed gross indecency against an 18-year-old boy at a house in Jalan Sungai Bertek here at 9.15pm on June 10, 2022.
It provides a prison sentence of up to two years upon conviction.
During mitigation, lawyer Fahmi Adilah, representing Azman Syah, told the court the guilty plea by his client was motivated by the latter’s remorse and vow to be a good and contributing citizen.
“My client also apologises to the complainant (victim) and the Malaysian government, especially the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), as well as this honourable court, for the time taken for the trial,” he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Adzmi, who appeared with deputy public prosecutor Nadia Syuhada Rosli, insisted that as a celebrity preacher, this incident should not have happened.
She said the court should not consider Azman Syah’s guilty plea as grounds for a “discounted” sentence.
Azman Syah is currently serving a 24-year prison sentence handed down by the Klang Sessions Court after being found guilty on two charges of physical sexual assault against a 17-year-old boy.
He was also ordered to be given two strokes of the cane.
— Bernama
