Ex-Sedili rep Rasman freed of molest charge

MUAR: Former three-term Sedili assemblyman Rasman Ithnain has been freed by the Magistrate’s Court here from a charge of molesting a woman in a vehicle in June.

Magistrate Analia Kamaruddin said in her judgment that after examining the trustworthiness of the witnesses, the court found that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused.

With that, all charges against the accused were dropped and he was released, with his bail money returned.

The prosecution was handled by Johor prosecution director Tengku Amir Zaki Tengku Abdul Rahman and deputy public prosecutor Hayatul Wirdah Mohd Yunos.

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Rasman, who is also the Kota Tinggi Bersatu division chief, was represented by lawyers Muhammad Mohd Nasir, Muhammad Izzad Syafiq Ismail and Mohamad Alias Rasman.

The prosecution had called four witnesses during the course of the case.

When met outside the court, Rasman expressed his gratitude and took this as a challenge for him and his family.

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He was Sedili assemblyman from 2008 until last year.

He won the seat on an Umno ticket in the 14th General Election in 2018, but later joined Bersatu.

He was not fielded in last year's Johor state election or the 15th General Election.

On June 13, Rasman pleaded not guilty to a charge of outraging a woman’s modesty at around 5pm on Jan 13 in a white MPV.

The woman’s identity was withheld by the court.

The charge, under Section 354 of the Penal Code, provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine or whipping or any two of the punishments, if found guilty.