KAJANG: A former religious teacher claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to 20 counts of inciting and outraging the modesty of 10 male students between February 2014 and April 2017.
Looking calm and collected throughout proceedings, 31-year-old Mohd Farid Yusof, a former Quran and Fardu Ain (Kafa) teacher, pleaded not guilty after all the charges were read before judge Datin Surita Budin.
He was charged with two counts of inciting two of the boys, aged 10 and 11, to an act of gross indecency at a teacher’s room of an integrated religious school in Bangi, in September 2015 and November 2016, respectively.
The charge, under Section 377E of the Penal Code, carries up to 15 years’ imprisonment and whipping, upon conviction.
Farid was also charged with 18 counts of criminal violence for the purpose of outraging the modesty of nine of the boys, aged between 9 and 12.
He was alleged to have committed all of the offences in the school’s teacher’s room, sick bay, audio-visual room, curriculum room and three classrooms, between February 2014 and April 2017.
The charges were under Section 354 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of 10 years or a fine or whipping or any two of the punishments, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Noor Hafizan Zakaria did not offer bail. However, the unrepresented Farid pleaded with the court for bail to be set.
Surita then allowed bail of RM20,000 in one surety and set an additional condition prohibiting Farid from harassing any of the victims.
She then fixed June 8 for remention of the case.