Man denies committing sexual offences against four boys

KOTA KINABALU: A man, who had his case remitted from the High Court to the Sessions Court here, claimed trial to eight sexual offences against four boys.

Mohd Hafis Jarashid, 20, was brought before judge Elsie Primus yesterday for his plea to be taken and he denied all the charges against him.

In the first to the eighth charges, he was alleged to have committed the offence against the children, aged between 9 and 14, by touching body parts of the children and making them touch his private parts.

The alleged offence took place at a house in a village in Kinarut, Papar between September 9 and 24, 2017.

He faces charges framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children 2017 for allegedly touching the children, and Section 14(b) of the same Act for charges of making the children touch him.

The indictment provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and liable to whipping, upon conviction.

The court fixed May 23 for case management and ordered Mohd Hafis to be further detained in custody pending disposal of the case.

Previously, Mohd Hafis was sentenced to a total of 32 years’ jail on June 7, 2018, after pleading guilty to the eight charges framed against him.

However, he appealed at the High Court here and the case was ordered to be remitted back to the Sessions Court, last week.

Deputy public prosecutor Rustam Sanip acted for the prosecution while Mohd Hafis was represented by counsel Kimberly Ye.