KLANG: A preacher has pleaded not guilty in the sessions court here to nine charges of committing rape, sexual assault and unnatural sex on a teenager between June 2021 and February this year.
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Fathi Na’im Mazlam, 30, also known as Ustaz Fathi Naim, made the plea before judge Syafeera Said.
Fathi Na’im, who has three wives and eight children, was charged with seven counts of rape and one count each of sexual assault and committing unnatural sex on the teenage girl, now 14.
The offences were allegedly committed in a car in front of a surau, in a parking area at Dataran Eco World, and in a hotel in the vicinity of Bandar Puncak Alam between June 2021 and February this year.
The rape and sexual assault charges were framed under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, respectively, which provide for up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping, if found guilty.
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The charge of committing unnatural sex was framed under Section 377CA of the Penal Code, which provides for up to 30 years in jail and whipping, upon conviction.
Fathi Na’im was allowed bail of RM40,000 in one surety for all the charges and was ordered to report himself at a police station once a month, as well as not to intimidate the victim and witnesses in the case.
The court fixed Jan 10 for mention of the case.
The prosecution was represented by Selangor prosecution director Ku Hayati Ku Haron, who was assisted by deputy public prosecutors Aqharie Durranie and Nurul ‘Izzati Mohamad.
Lawyer Samry Masri represented Fathi Na’im.-BERNAMA