Politician remanded in pageant groping case

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah STAR politician, who allegedly molested a beauty pageant contestant, has been remanded for four days.

Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles allowed the remand order yesterday after police requested to hold and question Putatan division coordinator Phillip Among further.

His lawyer Marcel Jude confirmed that Among would be held until Monday. He was arrested by police at 12.40pm on Thursday, shortly after he denied the claim.The remand hearing was held virtually due to the lockdown.

Among, a technical director in the just concluded state-level Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant, was accused by one of the finalists of groping her inside his car on May 19. She filed a police report on May 21.

On Thursday, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali confirmed Among’s arrest and said they had classified the case as using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person.

The offence carries a maximum jail term of 10 years or a fine or whipping if found guilty.

Among had told reporters on Thursday that he had sued the contestant and a guard at the pageant who lodged a report accusing him of threatening him. Two online portals were also sued.