KUALA LUMPUR: A 35-year-old tahfiz teacher pleaded not guilty on Monday (Aug 24) in the Ampang Sessions Court to four counts of committing physical sexual assault against two male pupils at a religious school in Taman Keramat.
The accused, Muhammad Ilyas Jamaludin, is alleged to have committed the offences against the two boys, aged 10 and 11 years old, at the premises between July and August 2026.
The charges were preferred under Sections 14(a) and 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, and read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act.
Under Section 14(a) and 14(b), the offence carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment and caning and Section 16(1) provides for an additional term of up to five years' imprisonment and no fewer than two strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
The accused also faces a charge under Section 15(f) of the same Act, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, or a fine not exceeding RM20,000, or both.
Deputy public prosecutor Nadiah Malek Fauzie did not offer bail, citing the seriousness of the offences and expressing concern that the accused might intimidate the victims if released.
However, the accused's lawyer Mohd Zaharudeen Harun applied for bail of RM10,000 for all charges, on the basis that his client had been immediately dismissed from his job and needed to support his ailing elderly parents.
"I understand that the madrasah has terminated the accused's employment with immediate effect, and there is no issue of him returning to the premises to interfere with witnesses or the victims," the lawyer said.
Judge Ho Kwong Chin granted bail at RM30,000 with one surety for all four charges, subject to the accused reporting to the nearest police station monthly and refraining from contacting or intimidating any witnesses or victims until the case is concluded.
The court then set Oct 5, 2026, for the next mention of the case. - Bernama
