SEREMBAN: A Pakistani national was sentenced to five years in jail by the Sessions Court here after he pleaded guilty to a charge of kissing an 11-year-old girl who also suffers from intellectual disability.
Uzman Khan, 22, did not contest the charge after it was read to him before judge Surita Budin.
The accused, who works as a labourer, was charged with committing the offence at a bus stop in Taman Tuanku Ja'afar around 6.30pm on Aug 24.
He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping.
Uzman's compatriot, Abrar Tasib, 33, was also charged before Surita with having pornographic images of the same victim in his mobile phone.
He was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to the charge under Section 10 of the same legislation.
Offenders can be jailed for up to five years or fined not exceeding RM10,000 or both upon conviction.
Abrar was charged with committing the offence at the district police station near here around 6.30pm on Aug 28.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni asked the court to mete out punishments commensurate with the offences.
She said both the accused, who have been working in Malaysia for two years now, had committed a serious offence against a child who suffers from intellectual disability.
In mitigation, Uzman stated that he was remorseful for his actions.
He pleaded for leniency as he had to work and send money home for his father's tuberculosis treatment and to educate his three younger siblings.
"I come from a very poor family and if I don't send money home, my family will have no food to eat.
"I made a mistake and I am truly remorseful for it," he said.
Abrar said the victim was the one who sent him the photographs.
"She told me that she was 28 years old.
"Apart from the photos, I did not do anything wrong," he said, adding that he had to provide for his wife and two children as well as his younger siblings back home.
Based on the facts of the case, both the accused came to know the girl via TikTok.
Police detained the duo after a photograph of the first accused kissing the victim at the bus stop went viral.
