Singer Naim Daniel Baharin has pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Putrajaya today to a charge of committing sexual assault against a 17-year-old girl at a hotel last month.

The 28-year-old entered the plea after the charge was read before judge M Kunasundary in a closed-door proceeding.

He is accused of committing the offence against the teenager at a hotel in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, at 8.56am on May 19.

He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792), which carries a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and caning.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Izzah Shaharuddin appeared for the prosecution, while Naim was represented by counsels Irwan Sumadi and Amirul Ridzuan Hanif.

The court subsequently allowed bail at RM12,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court. The case has been fixed for mention on Aug 18.

On June 4, the media reported that the police arrested a popular celebrity over allegations of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

- Bernama