SEREMBAN: A 33-year-old man claimed trial at the Sessions Court here for committing physical sexual assault against his stepdaughter, who was three months short of her 16th birthday.
The accused pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Judge Surita Budin yesterday.
The suspect, who works for a canopy rental service company, was charged with committing the offence at a house in Batu Kikir, Jempol, around 9pm on July 29.
He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 read together with Section 16(1) of the same legislation.
Offenders can be jailed for up to 20 years and whipped upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni told the court her team was offering the accused bail of RM40,000 with one surety.
She also ordered the accused to stay away from the alleged victim, to report to the nearest police station once a month until the case is disposed of and to surrender his passport, if he had one, to the court.
Norazihah also told the court that the victim was currently living with her biological father in Ipoh.
The father of the accused, who was also present in court, pleaded for a lower bail because he worked as an e-hailing driver and was already in his sixties.
Judge Surita then set bail at RM12,000 with one surety.
The court set Oct 14 for the next mention and to allow the accused to appoint counsel.
Separately, two teenagers claimed trial at the Sessions Court here for separate charges of raping underage victims.
In the first case, a 19-year-old pleaded not guilty before Judge Surita Budin to a charge of raping the victim, who was a month short of her 16th birthday.
The accused was charged with committing the offence in a car between 8pm and 9pm at a park in Gemas in July.
