Remand for child molest suspect

SUNGAI PETANI: The suspected funfair child molester arrived at the court complex here with a swollen right eye.

His eye had swollen shut and he squinted as he was led out of the police vehicle.

Magistrate Adibah Husnah Zainal Abidin remanded the man, in his 40s, for seven days starting yesterday.

Two of the suspect’s relatives, a man in his mid-20s and a woman in her late 30s, were seen waiting at the Sungai Petani court complex since 8.30am.

The suspect was brought to court at 9.50am.

“He is not married,” the woman told reporters, adding that he hailed from Penang and came to Sungai Petani often for work.

The man, who identified himself as the suspect’s nephew, said he did not know what work his uncle did in Sungai Petani.

A police officer at the courthouse said the suspect’s relatives brought him to the Kuala Muda district police station at about 3pm yesterday.

“He was dazed and his face was bloodied and swollen. We sent him to hospital for treatment right away,” he said.

The officer added that the suspect looked as though he had been beaten up, although it was not known who had assaulted him.

Kuala Muda district police chief Asst Comm Saifi Abdul Hamid said the suspect had no previous criminal record and was being investigated under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

Kedah Social Welfare Depart­ment director Azmi Abdul Karim said a hospital check-up revealed that the girl molested at the funfair was fine.

“We determined that her mother was capable of caring for her. Our preference is always to let children be with their mother unless we have no choice.

“We counselled the mother on how to avoid letting her daughter be caught in such a situation again,” Azmi said.

The department would also send a report to Women, Family and Community Develop­ment Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim, he added.

The suspect was arrested following a viral video showing a man caressing the girl’s chest under her dress and kissing her a few times at a funfair.

He apparently continued doing it, even when people were watching.

The man went back to find the girl the following night, but her mother had seen the video clip and confronted him.

He apologised and left. The mother lodged a police report a few hours later.