Man discharged and acquitted of molestation charge
Posted on February 9, 2011, Wednesday
KUCHING: A magistrates’ court here discharged and acquitted a 42-year-old man from a molestation charge yesterday.
Magistrate Maris Agan, who acquitted Bidari Alek, ruled that there was no prima facie case against him.
Bidari from Semariang was charged with molesting his 40-year-old neighbour in her house about 9am last July 16.
He was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, fine and whipping.
Bidari’s counsel Roger Chin and Osman Ibrahim submitted that there were numerous contradictions in the statements of witnesses.
The woman had told the court that she yelled for help when the alleged incident occurred, but her immediate neighbour said she did not hear any shouting from the house.
During the alleged incident, the woman’s husband was also at home.
The accused was slashed on his head and body when the woman’s husband is said to have attacked him with a samurai sword.
It is learnt that the husband lodged a police report claiming that he had done so to defend his wife from the accused.
The prosecution called five witnesses. Inspector Yunus Sahak prosecuted.
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