JOHOR BARU: A 29-year-old suspected paedophile charged with multiple counts of sexually abusing children and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in Taman Scientex, Pasir Gudang, was ordered to undergo psychiatric observation after he claimed insanity in court.
Court documents sighted by the New Straits Times confirmed the order.
The suspect made the claim as he was about to be sentenced, prompting the judge to order that he be psychologically accessed.
He is being held at a psychiatric hospital in the state capital, with the final report expected to be given to the court by the end of the month.
The suspect, a technician, was arrested in July on suspicion of raping, sodomising and sexually assaulting five children.
CSAM files were found in his possession. He is said to be married with children of his own.
Police investigations revealed that he allegedly sexually exploited 15 children, mostly foreigners.
It was learnt that the seized CSAM files had documentation of the alleged sexual abuse involving the children, some of which had been circulated on Telegram groups and the dark web.
Johor Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Khairin-Nisa Ismail said the 15 children, who were intially placed in the care of the state Welfare Department, have been reunited with their biological mothers.
“We worked with embassies to verify parentage through numerous original documents including birth certificates, maternal and child health record books which were seized by police.
“There were also a few Malay-sian minors who were allegedly sexually abused by the suspect. They too are now with their biological parents,”
She added that the children underwent medical and psychological treatment.
“Both the children and parents were also given counselling. DNA-tests were conducted before the children were released into their parents’ care.”
However, a few are still under the department’s care, as authorities were unable to determine their nationality and identity.
Following the suspect’s arrest, police carried out raids in Johor, Selangor and Penang, which led to the arrest of two Indonesian men, four women, a Myanmar man and two Malaysian women aged between 25 and 60.
Another person arrested was a woman of Suluk descent.
On Oct 22, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and his consort Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda granted an audience to several state agencies and child advocates where they discussed measures to strengthen child protection and curb sexual crimes against minors.
On Che Puan Khaleeda’s Facebook post, it stated the delegation included Khairin-Nisa, state Education and Information Committee chairman Aznan Tamin, the Johor legal adviser and the state prosecution director.
The royal couple expressed deep concern over the rise of child sexual crimes and called for a united, long-term strategy to protect minors.
Federal police Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M. Kumar confirmed that the suspected paedophile was charged with five offences under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 on Aug 29.
He said the task force comprising federal police’s Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11), Johor D11 and the Malaysia Internet Crime Against Children unit discovered disturbing footage and pictures.
The NST learnt the task force, with the help of international agencies, also found footage of children being sexually abused.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
