SETIU, June 3 — A male teacher pleaded not guilty at the Setiu Sessions Court today to seven charges of physical sexual assault against two male students since May.
Darusalam Ab Rahman, 42, made the plea after all the charges were read out before Judge Ahmad Fadhli Mahmud.
For the first three charges, he was accused of communicating via the WhatsApp application with a 17-year-old male with the intent to commit or facilitate physical sexual assault against the victim.
The offences were allegedly committed at a house in Kampung Anak Ikan, Besut, between 9.21pm and 2.10am on May 5, May 8, and May 10.
The charges were framed under Section 12(1) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOACA) 2017 and read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act, which provides for a prison sentence not exceeding five years and liability to whipping.
In addition, Darusalam faces two charges of committing physical sexual assault against the same teenager inside a car in front of an eatery in Kuala Terengganu at 9pm, and in front of a house in Kampung Anak Ikan at around 10pm on May 11.
The charges were brought under Section 14(a) of SOACA 2017 and read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act, which carries a prison sentence not exceeding 20 years and liability to whipping.
Meanwhile, the accused was also slapped with two charges of committing physical sexual assault against a 15-year-old male teenager in a secondary school toilet in Besut at 4pm on May 8, under Section 14(a) of SOACA 2017 and read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act, which carries a similar punishment.
Judge Ahmad Fadhli granted Darusalam bail of RM22,000 for all charges, with one surety, along with additional conditions requiring him to report to the nearest police station once a month and to refrain from contacting prosecution witnesses.
The court fixed July 6 for mention and submission of documents at the Besut Sessions Court.
The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Akmal Mohd Jazlee, while the accused was represented by a lawyer (who declined to be named).
