MELAKA, July 24 — A principal of a madrasah (Islamic religious school) in Tanjung Minyak here pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to three counts of committing physical sexual assault on one of his students.
Father of five Muhammad Firdaous Abdul Rashif, 36, a Singaporean, claimed trial to all three charges before judge Elesabet Paya Wan.
On the first count, he was charged with committing the offence of kissing the 14-year-old student on the mouth and touching the boy’s private parts on July 13 last year at a condominium in Klebang, Melaka.
The second count was for committing unnatural sex on the boy at the same place on July 28 last year, while the third charge, also involved committing unnatural sex on the boy, at a house in the madrasah compound on Jan 18 this year.
All the charges were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping, if found guilty.
The judge allowed him bail at RM30,000 in two local sureties for all charges and to surrender his passport to the court.
The man was also ordered to not intimidate or go near the victim and to report himself to the nearest police station every month. — Bernama
