KANGAR, Sept 17 — A motivational facilitator pleaded not guilty today in the Magistrate’s Court here to charges of committing physical sexual abuse and engaging in sexual communication with a minor in July.
Mohd Zulkarnain Atan, 44, is accused of committing the acts against a 14-year-old boy in the hall of a national secondary school in Padang Besar at 9am on July 10.
For the first charge, he faces prosecution under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and caning if convicted.
Mohd Zulkarnain also faces a maximum of three years’ imprisonment if found guilty of the charge under Section 11(1) of the same Act.
Magistrate Ana Rozana Mohd Nor granted bail of RM15,000 for both charges with one surety and set October 16 for the next mention of the case.
The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Tengku Ruqayyah Tengku Shahrom, while Mohd Zulkarnain was represented by National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Nur Ayuni Ahmad. — Bernama
