KUALA LUMPUR – A Datuk Seri businessman pleaded not guilty on three counts of molest charged and outraging the modesty of his own daughter between July last year and early January this year.
The 49-year-old accused made the not guilty plea after the charges were read to him before Magistrate Wong Chai Sia.
The accused sneaked into the court early this morning to avoid photographers and journalists. He also appeared calm as the charges were read out to him.
For the first count, the businessman who owns several unit of grocery stores and mini markets is accused for using criminal intimidation to outrage the modesty of his daughter.
According to the charge paper, he is accused for committing the offence on 16 July last year, between 1.00 am and 2.00 am at the living room of a house in Taman Kosmo Jaya, Sentul.
For the second count of charge, the accused is charged with using criminal intimidation on the victim, with the intention to outrage her modesty on 9 January in front of a bedroom in a house at Taman Kosmo Jaya, Sentul.
The charges are framed under Section 354 of the Penal Code. Upon conviction, he faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, or fine, or whipping for the two charges.
Meanwhile, for the third count of charge, the accused is charged with purportedly uttering words that insult the modesty of the victim on 17 July last year in a car between 12.45 am and 1.00 am.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Md Azahari Abu Hanit requested a bail of RM100,000 on the accused who is a successful businessman based on his living style.
“We must also look at the seriousness of the case as the accused did those things to his own daughter.
“We also request the court to order the accused to surrender his passport and forbid him from disturbing the witnesses and victim throughout the period of trial,” he said.
However, Puravelan, the defence counsel said that the accused has given good cooperation throughout the case and claimed that the RM100,000 bail is too high.
The magistrate then set bail at RM25,000 for all charges with a surety and 27 April for the mention of the case and submission of documents.
The media reported earlier this month that the victim, who is also a student alleged that she has been sexually harassed and molested by the accused since 10 years ago.
The suspect started his heinous act on the victim since she was 10 at their house.
She lodged a police report on 14 January as she could no longer take it. –MalaysiaGazette
