Kota Kinabalu: A 49-year-old teacher of a secondary school in Papar, was charged with two counts of physical sexual harassment against his two female students.
Redzwan Bilmahruf pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, to the two charges against him on Wednesday.
On the first count, Redzwan is accused of committing the offence against the 14-year and nine-month-old girl by touching her armpit and left breast at 8.30am on Sept 25 this year at the hall of the school.
On the second count, he allegedly committed the same offence against another female student age 15-years and five months by touching her right breast at the same place on Sept 25 this year at 9.20am.
The offence under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOACA) 2017 provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, on conviction.
There is additional punishment under Section 16(1) of the SOACA which carries a jail term of up to five years and whipping at least two strokes.
The court set Dec 18 this year for pre-trial case management and released Redzwan on a bail of RM10,000 with RM3,000 deposited in two local sureties.
Redzwan was also ordered to report to Papar police station once a month, his passport if any to be kept by the court, warned to not tamper with the prosecution witnesses either directly or indirectly.
The court also advised Redzwan to engage a counsel to represent him during trial.
Earlier, Redzwan who was not represented, asked for bail to be granted saying that he is still working and that his wife was just passed away after suffering from cancer.
He also told the court that he has children to look after.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Francis appeared for the prosecution.
