SEREMBAN: A 46-year-old teacher has claimed trial to three counts of committing physical sexual assault against a 13-year-old male pupil in his school.
Mazrulhisham Mahmud pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before Sessions judge Surita Budin here on Friday (Nov 7).
He was charged with committing the offences against the victim in the warden's restroom and a sports room in the religious residential school in a district here.
He was alleged to have committed the offences last year at 1.20am on May 18, 2am on May 25 and 12.45am on June 12.
The accused was charged under Sections 14(a) and (d) of the Sexual Offences Act Against Children 2017, read together with Section 16 of the same legislation.
Offenders can be jailed for up to 20 years and caned upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi told the court that the prosecution was offering bail of RM30,000 for each charge pending next mention.
She also asked the court to order the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month until disposal of the case, not to contact the alleged victim, and to surrender his passport to the court.
The accused's lawyer Nabila Hamzah pleaded for lower bail, saying that the amount suggested was excessive.
She said the accused had to provide for his wife, three young children, and his aged parents.
Nabila said Mazrulhisham had no problem complying with the other applications by the prosecution.
Judge Surita then set bail at RM30,000 and allowed the other conditions. She then fixed Dec 16 for mention.
