TENOM: Preacher Ebit Lew pleaded not guilty to 11 charges related to sexual harassment at the magistrate's court here.
Ebit, 37, was charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code for word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a person and if convicted, the offender could be sentenced to a maximum five year imprisonment, slapped with a fine, or both.
The prosecution was conducted by Sabah state prosecution director Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad, who is assisted by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Azreen Yas Mohamad Ramli, while Ebit was represented by lawyer Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin.
Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani set April 20 to April 23 for submission of documents, while Ebit was released on bail of RM1,000 for each charge and two sureties.
The trial date is tentatively set in June.
Earlier, Ebit, who is currently in Sabah to carry out charity work, arrived at the court at the Tenom district office at 9am today in a Toyota Vellfire and accompanied by a group of people.
Police presence was also seen at the compound of the Tenom District Office during the court proceeding.