20 years’ jail, 4 strokes of rotan for child molester
KOTA KINABALU: A religious school finance clerk bowed his head as he was sentenced to 20 years’ jail and four strokes of the rotan over an act of gross indecency with two pupils.
Danny Jaudik, 24, from Keningau, nodded his head to indicate he understood the sentences meted out by Sessions Court judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamed here, yesterday.
He pleaded guilty to two charges under Section 377E of the Penal Code for inciting a child under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency.
Ainul sentenced Danny to 10 years’ jail and two strokes of the rotan for each charge, the sentences to run consecutively from the date of Danny’s arrest on Aug 10 last year.
Danny, who was known as “Ustaz Danny” among the pupils and teachers, had committed the offences on separate occasions last year at the school compound and in his office.
According to the facts, on Aug 6, a 41-year-old mother had lodged a report after her 11-yearold son claimed the accused had asked him to strip naked.
The boy claimed it was not the first time such an incident had occurred as the accused had previously kissed him as well as asked him to remove his pants.
Following investigations, police had on the same day recorded a statement from another 11-yearold pupil who claimed the accused had also kissed him and pulled his pants down between May and June last year.
Danny’s counsel Timothy Daut in mitigation urged the court to take into account the testimony given by four witnesses, who said they did not wish to continue the trial against the accused for various reasons, as they believed Danny’s act was merely being playful and there was no inciting of gross indecency.
Prosecutor Hafizah Zahidah Abdullah said the accused had committed a heinous crime and had tarnished the reputation of a religious school.
“Although the accused pleaded guilty, it does not entitle him to a discount.”