A former tahfiz warden was acquitted and freed by the Ipoh sessions court today of two amended charges of sexually assaulting a male teenager five years ago.
Utusan Malaysia reported that judge Jean Sharmila Jesudason made the ruling after the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against Ikbal Izzuddin Abd Rahim, 29.
Jean Sharmila said the court found contradictions and gaps in the prosecution’s case, and a failure to explain whether it was based on police investigations or witness statements.
“As this has created reasonable doubt, the court finds the prosecution has failed to prove a prima facie case against the accused.
“As such, the court orders that the accused be freed without being called to defend himself for both charges,” she said, also ordering for the bail amount to be returned.
Under the first and second amended charges, Ikbal was accused of sexually assaulting a male teenager, who was 13 years old at the time, in the hostel of a tahfiz school in Ipoh in February 2020.
He was charged under Sections 14(a) and 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16 of the same Act, which provides for up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping.
Ikbal was represented by lawyers Aliff Aiman Rusli and Izzat Fakhri Halimi.
Ten prosecution witnesses, including the victim and his mother, had given their statements since the beginning of the court case in 2020.
