SEREMBAN, Sept 20 — Another teaching assistant at a madrasah in Kuala Pilah pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to six counts of sexually abusing four boys last year.
Muhammad Fawzun Azim Ismail, 20, who is believed to have been arrested during the Op Global raids last Wednesday (September 11), made the plea after the charges against him were read before Judge Datin Surita Budin.
He is facing two charges, namely forcing two boys aged 12 and 13 into physical sexual contact with him at the madrasah in 2023, which is an offence under Section 14 (b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
Fawzun also faces four charges of physical sexual contact against four boys, aged 10 to 13, and all the offences allegedly committed in the same madrasah in the same year. The charges were framed under Section 14 (a) of the same law.
All six charges carry a maximum imprisonment of up to 20 years and can also be subject to whipping.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi proposed bail of RM30,000 for each charge with additional conditions that the accused must not disturb the victim and witnesses, must report to the police station every month, and surrender his passport to the court and remain contactable by authorities at all times.
However, Fawzun appealed for a lower bail on the grounds that he had just resumed his studies at a local skills centre last month.
The father of the accused also appealed for low bail on the same grounds, but the court asked them to provide evidence that the accused was a student at the skill centre.
Judge Surita then allowed the accused a bail of RM12,000 for each charge as well as the additional conditions submitted by Nurul Balkis, besides the surety must ensure his attendance in court.
The court set October 30 for the submission of documents and the appointment of a lawyer.
Yesterday, three teaching assistants at a madrasah in Kuala Pilah — Muhammad Habib Noh Mohd Zairi, 21, Muhammad Khunais Fathie Khabil, 20, and Ahmad Nadzful Izham Azizan, 22, — were charged in the Sessions Court with 14 counts of sexual assaults against five boys in 2022 and 2023.
Op Global saw the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department raid 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, linked to GISB Holdings, during which 402 children and teenagers, 201 boys and 201 girls aged one to 17, were rescued.
— Bernama
