Crime & Courts

Catering worker charged with sodomising 4 boys

BUTTERWORTH: A catering worker was charged at the Sessions Court here today with six counts of sodomy and performing sexual acts on four boys between March last year and May this year.

Muhammad Haikal Hazwan Che Man, 24, claimed trial to the charges which were read to him by the court interpreter before Judge Zulhazmi Abdullah.

The acts allegedly happened inside a room at Apartment Permata in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam, about 3pm in March last year.

For the second to sixth charges, he is alleged to have performed sexual acts in the same apartment room between March last year and May this year.

The charges were framed under Section 14(b) and Section 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides a maximum of 20 years imprisonment with whipping if convicted.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Amira Ruzaini Wan Abdul Razak appeared for the prosecution.

Wan Amira said no bail was offered due to the seriousness of the offence, especially since the victims were underaged.

The accused, through a National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) lawyer, appealed for a minimal bail to be imposed.

The lawyer said the accused earned RM1,200 monthly as a catering worker and had to feed his family.

Zulhazmi set bail at RM20,000 with one surety.

"He is also not allowed to approach the victims and complainant until the end of the case," he said.

He fixed Nov 25 for mention, pending the medical and chemist reports.

Meanwhile, at the court in Bukit Mertajam, the accused faced a charge under Section 292(a) of the Penal Code for possession of pornographic materials in his mobile phone.

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