Male teacher charged with hugging and kissing boy

PUTRAJAYA: A male teacher claimed trial at the special court for child sexual crimes here to hugging and kissing a nine-year-old boy in the school toilet.

The 27-year-old teacher allegedly hugged and kissed the boy in a primary school in Petaling Jaya some time between August 2016 and July 17 this year.

The offence allegedly occurred between noon and 6.30pm.

The accused is charged under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16 of the same Act.

He faces a maximum 25 years in jail and whipping, upon conviction.

DPP Nordalina Ali urged the court not to allow bail.

“The victim is only nine and the accused is a teacher. The prosecution fears he will harass the victim,” she said.

Lawyer Farhan Read argued that the teacher has not been proven guilty and the court has the discretion to grant bail.

“I suggest RM10,000. He is a schoolteacher with a RM1,600 sala- ry. His father works as a tailor and his mother is a housewife with a household income of RM4,000.

“The accused still lives with his parents and they are willing to post bail,” Farhan said.

Sessions Court judge Yong Zarida Sazali fixed RM10,000 bail in one surety.

She also ordered the accused not to go near the victim and to report to the nearest police station monthly.

The case is set to be mentioned on Sept 25.

In an unrelated case in the same court, a 21-year-old jobless man was accused of raping his underage girlfriend.

The man from Gua Musang pleaded not guilty to the offence allegedly committed at a flat in Subang Jaya some time in October last year.

The girl gave birth last month. DPP Nordalina Ali said: “We have not received the DNA report because the baby was born last month.”

The court fixed bail at RM10,000 and ordered the accused not to see the victim.

The case is scheduled for mention on Sept 26.