The headmaster of a “pondok” or community religious school in Kelantan has been charged in the Pasir Mas sessions court with six counts of physical sexual assault on a 14-year-old tahfiz student in Tumpat.
Aswadi Yah, 46, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before judge Zulkpli Abdullah, Berita Harian reported.
The religious teacher was accused of committing the offences at a house in Kampung Kubang Batang and a mosque in Wakaf Bharu from March 3 to June 9.
The charge under Section 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and caning.
Siti Aiysha Na’ilah Harizan prosecuted while Aswadi was represented by lawyer Irwan Sumadi.
The court allowed Aswadi bail of RM20,000 for all of the charges and ordered him to report to the police station every month.
Case mention has been fixed for Nov 11.
Aswadi is now standing trial on a total of 15 criminal charges: 14 counts of sexually assaulting minors and one of possessing lewd images.
On Sept 11, he claimed trial in the Pasir Mas sessions court to seven counts of physical sexual assault on a 16-year-old boy and the possession of obscene images.
A week later, he pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Terengganu sessions court to two counts of sexual assault on a 14-year-old boy.
