Sabah politician denies outraging modesty of two women

KOTA KINABALU: Politician Phillip Among has claimed trial at a Magistrate’s Court here to five charges of outraging the modesty of two women

Among, who was represented by lawyers Marcel Jude and Abdul Fikry Jaafar, pleaded not guilty to the charges read before magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun yesterday.

According to the charges, Among had on April 17, at 11pm at an inn, outraged the modesty of a woman.

He was also accused of committing the same offence on a second woman at 2pm, 3.30pm, 9.45pm and 10pm on May 19, at different locations.

The court fixed July 14, 21, 22, for pre-trial case management.

He was granted RM8, 000 bail for each charge with two local sureties.

The court also impounded Among’s passport and instructed him to report to the police every month. He was restricted from speaking to the victims or any witnesses until the case is disposed of.

Earlier, Deputy public prosecutor Siti Amirah Muhammad Ali had asked for the court to impose RM100, 000 bail on Among.

However, Abdul Fikry said the bail was too high and asked for RM2, 000 bail for each charge instead.

He said Among lives with his wife and two children, aged eight and six, and therefore he has no reason to leave his family and jump bail.

He also said the accused did not resist arrest and had cooperated with police investigations.

He also said Among suffered from high blood pressure and is undergoing stroke treatment, hence burdened with high medical expenses.

Jude said the bail for Among was unjust as he has no income due to the pandemic.

Among, he said, was portrayed as a sexual predator in social media although he has done a lot of welfare and community work in the past.

Among, a technical director in the just concluded state-level Unduk Ngadau cultural 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.

Among was arrested on June 3 and remanded for a week.