‘Bomoh’ charged with committing sexual assault on girl By Safrah Mat Salleh

KOTA KINABALU: An Indonesian ‘bomoh’ claimed trial at the Sessions Court here yesterday after being charged with kissing and touching the body of an 11-year-old girl during a bath ritual.

Mahmuda Ba’dulu, 68, who appeared before judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamed, was alleged to have committed physical sexual assault on the young girl in the bathroom of a house at a village in Kota Belud at 2 pm on August 13.

The alleged offence, framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Rustam Sanip had objected to granting of bail as the accused is not a Malaysian and has no valid travel documents.

It was also learnt that Mahmuda had reportedly been giving bath to children to make them smart using the water that he had cast a spell on.

The court fixed April 25-26 next year for trial and ordered Mahmuda, who was not represented, to be further detained in custody, pending disposal of the case.

In another Sessions Court, ten foreigners were sentenced to jail of between four and five months by the Sessions Court here yesterday for entering Sabah illegally.

Judge Azreena Aziz imposed the sentences on all the men after they pleaded guilty to separate charges under Section 6 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The indictment carries a maximum fine of RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years or both and also liable to whipping of not more than six strokes of the cane upon conviction.

They were arrested around Tuaran and here during separate operations between October 20 and 24.

The court also ordered eight men to be whipped once while others were spared due to their age.

All of the accused were ordered to start their jail sentence from their date of arrest and to be referred to the Immigration Department for their biometrics data to be recorded before deportation to their country.