RANAU: A local man who works as a restaurant waiter was arrested by the police on suspicion of molesting his colleague near here recently.
The 23-year-old suspect was reported to have committed the offence at a restaurant worker’s quarters in Pekan Ranau at about 5am last Friday.
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In the incident, a 19-year-old female worker who was the victim, heard a knock on her room door and upon opening it, found the suspect standing outside.
The complainant, who felt uncomfortable and suspicious of the suspect, closed her room door from the outside and tried to leave her bedroom to go to a safe place.
However, while the complainant was locking her bedroom door, the suspect suddenly hugged her from behind and held her breasts while kissing her on the right cheek.
After that, the complainant acted spontaneously by pushing the suspect back and then went back into her bedroom and locked the door.
Acting on information, on Saturday at approximately 3.36 pm, a team of officers and personnel from the Ranau District Criminal Investigation Division led by Insp Nuratigah binti Mahri successfully carried out the arrest of the suspect.
Since the investigation could not be completed within 24 hours, the police requested to detain the suspect for four days starting from 25 to 28 January 2026.
The reasons for the remand application were to record the suspect’s statement. take photographs and fingerprints of the suspect. and take photographs of the suspect at the scene of the crime.
The case is being investigated under Section 354 of the Penal Code relating to the offence of outrage of modesty, where a person attacks or uses criminal force against another person with the intention or knowledge that his modesty will be violated.
If convicted, the offender can be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 10 years, a fine, whipping, or any two of these penalties.
