MUAR: A fireman pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to five charges of rape and sexual assault of a 17-year-old female student earlier this month.
The accused, Mohamad Firdaus Mohamad Azali, 38, pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and two counts of physical sexual assault.
According to the first, second and third charges, the accused is alleged to have raped the victim who is also a person with disabilties in a house in the district, between midnight and 1.30am on July 9.
The accused was charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and also whipping.
The fourth and fifth charges allege that the accused, who is a widower with five children, committed physical sexual assault against the victim between midnight and 1.30am at the same time date and location.
For these charges, he was charged under Section 14 (a) and 9d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 which is punishable with 20 years jail and whipping if convicted.
During proceedings, Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat declined bail after it was found that the accused had lied in his appeal to be granted bail.
The accused claimed that he was working at a fire station in Kuching and had been on unpaid leave for the past year.
However, the prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor, Danial Munir submitted a letter which stated that the accused was currently suspended from duty after not turning up for work at a fire station in the district since January 2022.
As soon as he saw the certificate submitted by the prosecution, Abu Bakar decided that no bail would be granted against the accused.
Danial had asked the court not to offer bail due to several factors, including the severity of the offence which involved a minor.
The court fixed Aug 26 for mention of the case, submission of documents and also appointment of a lawyer for the accused.