KUALA LUMPUR: A freelance preacher has been acquitted of a charge of raping a 14-year-old girl at a hotel five years ago.
Sessions Court judge Tasnim Abu Bakar ordered that Muhammad Fathi Na’im Mazlam, 34, be discharged and acquitted without having to enter his defence.
In her decision yesterday, the judge said the key witness in the case, who was also the alleged victim, had failed to give “an unusually convincing” testimony against the father of eight.
Tasnim said the court had allowed an impeachment proceedings initiated by Fathi Na’im’s defence team against the teenager during cross-examination.
The defence had applied to impeach the witness as they claimed there were material contradictions between her testimonies in this case and another case against Fathi Na’im at the Klang Sessions Court, where Fathi Na’im was accused of nine sexual-related charges including rape against the teen.
“After hearing, scrutinising and considering the testimonies from prosecution witnesses, the oral and written submissions as well as the authorities cited by parties in a maximum evaluation, this court finds that the girl’s explanation during the impeachment proceedings and her testimony in this trial could not be categorised as believable or unusually convincing,” Tasnim said.
The court then acquitted the accused and ordered the bail money to be returned.
On Dec 1, 2022, Fathi Na’im claimed trial to the charge of raping the girl at a hotel in Jalan Imbi, Bukit Bintang, between 2am and 10am on Dec 3, 2021.
A total of 11 prosecution witnesses, including the girl, testified in the prosecution’s trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Pervinah Mohamad Yusof told reporters that the prosecution would appeal against the acquittal order.
On Sept 18, 2025, Fathi Na’im was sentenced by the Klang Sessions Court to 15 years and three strokes of the cane after he was found guilty of three rape and sexual molest charges involving the same victim, who was then 13.
The offences were said to be committed in a luxury multi purpose vehicle at a car park in Dataran Eco World, Bandar Baru Puncak Alam, in 2021.
Klang Sessions Court judge Noridah Adam did not allow the accused a stay of execution but Fathi Na’im was later released on bail after the Klang High Court allowed his appeal on the stay application.
The trial involving six other related charges has not begun.
