JOHOR BARU, March 27 — A 30-year-old salesman claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl at a shopping mall in Taman Desa Tebrau about two weeks ago.
The accused, Mohamad Hafizwan Ayob, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out against him before Judge Thalha Bachok@Embok Mok.
Based on the charge sheet, the accused is charged with physically assaulting the girl for sexual gratification at a shopping centre in Jalan Harmonium, Taman Desa Tebrau here on March 16 at 8.15pm.
For the offence, Mohamad Hafizwan was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
The accused, who is stricken with dwarfism, then pleaded to be released as he claimed he was innocent.
However, Thalha Bachok told Mohamad Hafizwan that he only needed to appeal to reduce his bail amount as he had not been sentenced and had claimed trial.
The accused, who was unrepresented, then applied for a lower bail of RM5,000 on the grounds that he was supporting his parents, where his mother had asthma and needed medicine on a monthly basis.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Fadilah Johanuddin said the offence under the Act was non-bailable, but proposed an amount of RM20,000 if the court was to grant bail to the accused.
“The accused and the victim have no family ties. I have also proposed additional conditions, where the accused must not interfere with the victim and prosecution witnesses, report to the nearest police station on a monthly basis and to surrender his international passport to the court,” she said.
The court then granted the accused bail of RM10,000 with one surety along with three additional conditions proposed by the prosecution.
The case has been set for mention on April 28 for the submission of documents and appointment of the accused counsel.