ALOR GAJAH: An immigration officer pleaded not guilty at the Alor Gajah sessions court here today to three counts of sexually assaulting a Thai masseuse last month.
Frankie Chua Siong Kiat, from Pasir Mas, Kelantan, was charged with raping the woman and forcing her to perform oral sex on him.
He committed the alleged offences in the female inspection room of the immigration depot detention office in Machap Umboo at 1pm, 1.10pm and 1.15pm on March 9, 2017.
Earlier, Deputy public prosecutor, Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin, applied for the court to deny bail, but then left it to the court's discretion to impose bail, suggesting RM20,000 for each of the charges.
However, lawyer Rengganathan Abdullah, who represented the accused, urged for a lower bail, as his client has cooperated with police and willingly appeared in court.
"My client was also allowed to continue serving as an immigration officer, and since he is still a civil servant, the likelihood of him (fleeing) is slim," he added.
Sessions judge Wan Mohd Norisham Wan Yaakob set RM12,000 bail for each of the charges, and set May 8 and 9 to produce a Thai translator to record the victim's statement.
It was reported on March 22 that a detained Thai masseuse claimed that she was raped by an immigration officer and forced to perform oral sex on him at the Machap Umboo detention centre in Alor Gajah, on March 9.
The incident came to light when the 32-year-old masseuse told her sister, 28, about the alleged assault.
The victim was arrested and detained at the depot following a police raid on vice activities on the night of March 7.
Her sister, who is married to a local from Seremban, lodged a report on her behalf at the Melaka Tengah police station on March 21 over the alleged sexual assault, following her release on March 20.
The immigration officer was arrested at the Immigration Department, Home Ministry Complex, at 5.30pm on March 24.
On March 25, police obtained a three-day remand order against officer Chua to facilitate investigations under Section 376 of the Penal Code for rape.
The officer was subsequently released on police bail after his remand order ended on March 27, before being charged in court today.