KOTA KINABALU: A tahfiz teacher was sentenced to 12 years’ jail with two strokes of the rotan for sexually assaulting a teenager.
Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court judge Elsie Primus passed the sentence after finding the teacher guilty of the offence committed at around noon on Feb 21, 2024, in a house in Penampang.
The 31-year-old was also instructed to undergo rehabilitation and counselling throughout the duration of his imprisonment, and to be placed under police supervision for two years after completing his sentence.
However, the Court allowed for his application for a stay of execution pending a High Court appeal.
Defence counsel Amli Nohin when applying for a lenient sentence, said his client regretted his actions and was still working as a government teacher.
He said the teacher who now lives in Melaka, had a clean and excellent service record, while many of his students achieved multiple awards under his guidance.
He said the teacher, who is not married, has to take care of his elderly parents as well.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Fazriel Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir, applied for a strict punishment for the accused, citing the actions as a heinous act involving sexual abuse towards a child by his own teacher.
He said the teacher acted immorally against his young male student, despite knowing there were other students living in that same house.
“During the incident, the teacher was still teaching the boy religious studies, although he no longer served in the school the boy attended.
“The man dared to commit the offence even though there were other children in the house, who were also his students,” Fazriel said, adding that the actions in that situation and time showed that it was a planned offence done without fear of consequences.
He said the teacher tried to control and manipulate the boy after the incident by asking him to call often.
“During the trial, the victim’s body language and reaction when testifying, especially when asked to identify the abuser, showed that the boy was still traumatised by the whole incident,” he added.
Fazriel said the victim cried and had to compose himself after identifying his abuse through the live-link during the trial.
