Wed Sep 18 05:07:00 UTC 2024: ## Religious Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault Against Child in Port Dickson
**SEREMBAN** – A 43-year-old religious teacher, Mohd Hafidz Eshak, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to three charges of committing physical sexual assault against a child. The alleged offenses took place at a house and a religious center in Port Dickson between March and August of this year.
The victim, who was 13 years and nine months old when the first alleged offense occurred, was reportedly assaulted by Mohd Hafidz, who was the chairman of the religious center. The accused faces charges under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi, requested bail to be set at RM50,000 for each charge due to the severity of the alleged crimes. They also requested that the accused be prohibited from contacting the victim and required to report to the nearest police station monthly until the case is concluded.
Defense lawyer Datuk Hanif Hassan argued that the bail amount was excessive, emphasizing that the case was unrelated to recent child abuse cases investigated by authorities. He requested a lower bail of RM6,000, stating that the accused was a local resident and not a flight risk.
The court ultimately fixed bail at RM12,000 with one surety for all three charges, while adhering to the prosecution’s requests regarding contact with the victim and reporting to the police.
Furthermore, Mohd Hafidz is also facing a separate charge of molesting a teacher at the same religious center in Port Dickson. He pleaded not guilty to this charge, which falls under Section 354 of the Penal Code and carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine, or whipping. He was granted bail of RM4,000 and ordered not to contact the victim or any witnesses.
The case is expected to be further managed on October 17.
First Piper 