SEREMBAN: The Sessions Court here has fixed April 18 to hear the cases of a 45-year-old counselling teacher facing two charges of committing physical sexual assault against two pupils and a third charge of possessing child pornography.
Judge Surita Budin made the decision after deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi told the court that documents relevant to the cases have been handed over to the defence team.
"The reports, including the forensic findings on a laptop and mobile phone belonging to the accused have also been handed over to the defence lawyer," she said when the case came up for mention.
The accused had claimed trial to all three charges when produced before Surita on Feb 7.
For the first and second charges, he is accused of committing the offences against two 11-year-old boys at a school in Seremban 2. The alleged incidents occurred in the counselling room in May and September 2023.
The charges fall under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16 of the same Act, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and whipping upon conviction.
For the third charge, he is accused of possessing 180 photographs and clips of children being sexually abused on his laptop at a house in Seremban on Dec 12, 2023.
This charge is under Section 10 of the same Act, which carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.
The accused have been out on a RM30,000 bail since.
Judge Surita reminded the accused to abide by the bail conditions which include to stay away from contacting the alleged victims and to report to the nearest police station once a month until the cases are disposed of.
