PETALING JAYA: A 14-year-old student, who went viral in a video for punching his teacher, has pleaded guilty at the Kajang Magistrate's Court to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt on Wednesday (July 30).
The removed student made the guilty plea after the charge was read before Magistrate Fatin Dayana Jalil, reported Sinar Harian.
The proceedings were conducted behind closed doors as the accused is a minor.
The court has set Sept 11 as the date for sentencing, pending a character report from the Social Welfare Department.
According to the charge, the teenager is accused of intentionally causing injury to a 29-year-old male teacher at a secondary school at 4.48 pm on Monday (July 28).
The charge was made under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of one year or a fine of up to RM2,000 or both, if convicted.
The teenager’s lawyer S. Priyalatha appealed for a low bail, citing that her client is a juvenile offender who is still in school.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Syafiq Mohd Zulbahrin suggested a bail of RM5,000, considering the case's seriousness and the public attention it attracted after going viral on social media.
However, the court allowed the student to be released on bail with a sum of RM1,000 with one surety.
Previously, a 38-second video clip went viral on social media, showing an argument between two male individuals that ended with a student punching a male teacher in the cheek.
Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Naazron Abdul Yusof said the teenager had been detained for allegedly punching and threatening his schoolteacher after he was reprimanded for skipping a physical education class on Tuesday (July 29).
In addition, the juvenile offender's mother, in her 40s, said that she has been caring for the teenager following her separation from her ex-husband.
The woman said her only child regretted his actions against the teacher.
"He has also apologised to me," she said when met outside the court.
