KUALA LUMPUR – Three men linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB Holdings) pleaded not guilty to a combined total of 14 charges of sexual assault against several boys aged between 9 and 11.
The men – Muhammad Habib Noh Mohd Zairi, 21, Muhammad Khunais Fathie Khabil, 20 and Ahmad Nadzful Izham Azizan, 22 – claimed trial at a sessions court in Seremban today after the charges were read to them before judge Datin Surita Budin.
The accusations brought against them were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 for touching the body of a child for sexual purposes and Section 14(b) of the same legislation on making a child touch the body of another for sexual purposes.
The men, who are teaching assistants and supposed members of GISB Holdings, were charged with committing the offences between 2022 and 2023 at a religious school in Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan.
If found guilty, the men can be punished with imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping.
Habib was charged with five counts of sexual assault on three boys between the ages of 9 and 10 in 2022 while Khunais faced six charges of sexually assaulting two boys, both aged 11, in 2023.
Nadzful was slapped with three counts of sexual assault against two boys, aged 10 and 11, between June and September 2023.
Deputy public prosecutors Nurul Balkis Zunaidi and Noraziha Asmuni submitted that while the prosecution is not offering bail to the three accused, they proposed an amount of RM30,000 for each charge if the court were to grant bail.
The prosecution also requested that if bail was allowed, the accused should not contact the victims or prosecution witnesses. The three charged should also be made to report to the nearest police station and surrender their passports to the court.
The family members of all three charged had attempted to plead for a lower bail amount, with Habib’s father claiming that his son is “still a child” while Khunais’ father said that he would be unable to produce funds necessary to make bail as he is retired and the family has no income.
The court fixed bail at RM12,000 with one surety for each charge and allowed the prosecution’s other conditions.
The three accused were unrepresented. The court fixed October 30 for the next case mention, submission of medical reports as well as the appointment of defence lawyers. – September 19, 2024