Ebit Lew trial: Preacher took screenshots of her body during video calls, suggests witness

TENOM: A woman told the Magistrate's Court here that she was uncertain if she had ever sent explicit photos to preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew or Ebit Lew, in connection with the alleged sexual harassment case against him.

The woman in her 40s, the ninth prosecution witness and the complainant in the case suggested that the images might have been screen-captured by Lew during a video call.

Ram Singh: "Would you agree that if the video call and photos were taken as you claim, the forensic team from Bukit Aman would have detected this evidence on your phone?"

Witness: "I'm not sure, because as I mentioned earlier, during the video call, I did expose certain body parts, but I'm unsure about the timing of the messages," she replied when cross-examined by lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, who is representing Lew in the trial.

The woman further testified that during the video call, she felt deceived, as she had followed the accused’s instructions to expose her body parts, adding that Lew, as a preacher, should have guided those seeking help instead.

In her testimony, the witness stated that she never intended to damage the preacher's reputation, noting that Lew had confided in her during a phone call about his struggle with a high sex drive.

The woman testified that she had asked Lew why he experienced such a high sex drive and whether it was related to taking pills, to which the accused denied taking any medication.

Ram Singh: You were never informed about Ebit Lew's activities with his wife, and this is your way of tarnishing his reputation. Do you agree?

Witness: I disagree; he (Lew) did tell me.

Ebit Lew, 38, faces 11 charges, including outraging the modesty of a woman in her 40s by sending obscene words and lewd images to the victim's phone number via the WhatsApp application between March and June 2021.

The charges under Section 509 of the Penal Code provide a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine or both if convicted.

The hearing before Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani continues on Wednesday (Aug 28).- Bernama