Another madrasah teaching assistant charged with child sexual abuse

Another teaching assistant at a madrasah in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, pleaded not guilty in the Seremban Sessions Court today to six counts of sexually abusing four boys last year.

Muhammad Fawzun Azim Ismail, 20, who is believed to have been arrested during the Ops Global raids, made the plea after the charges against him were read before judge Surita Budin.

He is facing two charges, namely making two boys, aged 12 and 13, make sexual physical contact with him at the madrasah in 2023, which is an offence under Section 14 (b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

He also faces four charges of physical sexual contact against four boys, aged 10 to 13, and all the offences allegedly committed in the same madrasah in the same year. The charges were framed under Section 14 (a) of the same law.

All six charges carry a maximum imprisonment of up to 20 years and can also be subject to whipping.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi proposed bail of RM30,000 for each charge with additional conditions that the accused must not disturb the victim and witnesses, report to the police station every month, surrender his passport to the court, and remain contactable by authorities at all times.

However, the accused appealed for a lower bail on the grounds that he had just resumed his studies at a local skills centre last month.

The father of the accused also appealed for low bail on the same grounds, but the court asked them to provide evidence that the accused was a student at the skill centre.

Surita then allowed the accused a bail of RM12,000 for each charge, as well as the additional conditions submitted by Nurul Balkis, and the surety must ensure his attendance in court.

The court set Oct 30 for the submission of documents and the appointment of a lawyer.

Yesterday, three teaching assistants at a madrasah in Kuala Pilah were charged in the Seremban Sessions Court with 14 counts of sexual assault against five boys in 2022 and 2023.

Last week, the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department raided 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings and rescued 402 children and teenagers, 201 boys and 201 girls aged one to 17.

- Bernama

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