KOTA KINABALU: A visually impaired man pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to sexually assaulting his nine-year-old niece.
The 39-year-old man who appeared before Sessions judge Elsie Primus was charged under Section 14 (d) of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017.
The offence carries punishment of a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
The man had allegedly committed the offence in the living room of a house in Pitas in January this year between 6am and 3pm.
The court fixed Dec 2 for pre-trial case management.
The court also granted the man to be released on bail of RM15,000 with RM5,000 deposited to court under two local sureties.
The court further ordered the man not to enter Pitas and not to tamper with any prosecution witness.
Earlier counsel Ari Nadzrah who represented the accused for the bail application, told the court that the man previously worked as a lorry driver.
Ari said the man was involved in an accident in 2005 and was partially blind. He became completely blind and unable to work in 2017.
Deputy public prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lokman prosecuted.