GEORGE TOWN, Feb 9 — A deaf and mute Korean pastor claimed trial to a charge of outraging the modesty of a man over 20 years ago at the Magistrates Court here today.

Jee Jong Hoon, 54, entered his plea after the charge was translated to him by an international sign language interpreter.

When Magistrate Rosnee Mohd Ridzuan asked Jee to enter his plea, the interpreter signed two choices for him, to plead guilty or to claim trial.

Jee signed back that he will claim trial.

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He was charged with outraging the modesty of a man, who was then 20 years old, by kissing, hugging and touching him on his private parts at a house in Gelugor sometime in 2000.

When Rosnee asked if Jee celebrated the Chinese New Year before setting the next date for the case, Jee indicated that he observed it as the lunar new year.

“I will fix the next date for the handing over of documentations after Chinese New Year,” Rosnee said before setting it on March 15.

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Jee had been presented to court for the charge on December 29 last year but it could not be communicated to him and he could not enter a plea as there was no international sign language interpreter available at that time.

However, he was allowed bail at RM6,000 with two Malaysian sureties and on the condition that he must report to the police station nearest to his home on the 29th of each month.

The court also forbade him from approaching and harassing the victim of the case until the case is over.

Jee also faces two other charges of outraging the modesty of two other men at Jee’s apartment in Kampung Paya, Butterworth in 2013 and 2017 respectively.

He was charged with the two other offences at the Butterworth Magistrate’s court on December 18 and is yet to enter his pleas for the charges.

His cases in the Butterworth Magistrates Court was set for mention on March 4.

All charges against Jee were under Section 354 of the Penal Code for using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person and he is liable to be imprisoned for up to 10 years, fined, whipped, or punished with any two combinations upon conviction.