KUALA LUMPUR – A suspect involved in the kidnapping of 6-year-old Albertine Leo will face 15 charges, including six on sexual offences against children, at the Johor Bahru court complex tomorrow.
Johor police chief M. Kumar in a statement said police had referred two investigation papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and received instructions to prosecute the suspect.
Under the Penal Code, the suspect will face two charges – one count under Section 363 for kidnapping a minor and another under Section 346 for wrongful confinement.
He will face another seven counts under Section 292 for possession of pornographic material which carries a punishment of three imprisonment and/or fine.
Under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, the suspect is to face six more charges.
Four of them will be under Section 8(b) for obtaining child pornography, which carries a punishment of 15 years in jail and three strokes of the cane.
Additionally, he will also face one charge each under Section 10 for possessing child pornography, and Section 15(a)(ii) for making a child exhibit parts of their body for sexual purposes.
On August 5, police rearrested a suspect in Albertine’s case and obtained another remand other to assist in investigations into a case of possessing child sexual abuse material and pornography.
Magistrate Azureen Sahira Sauffe Afandi granted the 31-year-old man’s remand for six days following an application made at the Kulai magistrates’ court.
Previously, the suspect was remanded for 13 days from July 23 until August 4 to assist in investigations under Section 365 of the Penal Code and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 before being released on police bail.
The Johor police said that the suspect was re-arrested yesterday following the discovery of various sex toys, adult pornographic material, and child sexual abuse material at his residence in Kulai.
Albertine was reported missing by her father on July 20 at a shopping mall in Iskandar Puteri before she was found safe at a budget hotel in Batang Kali, Selangor on July 23. – August 5, 2024