KOTA KINABALU, April 17 — The Magistrates’ Court in Tenom has fixed April 30 for its decision on the prosecution case against preacher Ebit Irawan Lew, who faces 11 charges of sexual harassment.

Defence counsel Ram Singh, in a brief text message to Bernama, confirmed the date, saying the decision will be delivered at 8.30 am.

The trial, before Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani, began in September 2022 and has heard testimony from 18 prosecution witnesses.

Deputy public prosecutors Nor Azizah Mohamad, Analia Kamaruddin and Muhammad Hidayat Wahab acted for the prosecution, while Lew is represented by Ram Singh, alongside Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki and Prabjit Singh Gill.

Lew, 38, is accused of sending obscene images and messages via WhatsApp to a woman in her 40s between March and June 2021, in conduct said to have outraged her modesty.

He is charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction. — Bernama