KOTA KINABALU: A 70-year-old former lecturer, who was accused of sexually assaulting his two step-granddaughters, was cleared of all charges at the Sessions Court here today.
Judge Dayang Ellyn Narisa Abang Ahmad discharged and acquitted the man after a full trial after she ruled that the defence had created a reasonable doubt as to the truth of the prosecution's case and as to the guilt of the accused.
On the first count, the man was accused of committing the offence against a seven-year-old girl in October 2019 at a house in Putatan.
On the second count, the man allegedly committed the similar offence against a 12-year-old girl between May 17 and June 11, 2018 by the roadside in Putatan.
The offence under Section 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Suriyati Jumain prosecuted while counsels Nigel Neong Kaning and Mohamad Syazwan Shah Mohamad Ali represented the accused.
Six prosecution and four defence witnesses testified in the hearing.
Meanwhile, in another Sessions Court, a man was ordered to enter his defence for two of the three charges of sexually assaulting his niece.
For the first and third charges, the man, 63, was accused of committing the offences against the six-year-old girl in September 2019 at two separate houses in Likas and Papar.
For the second charge, he was accused of committing the offence against his niece at a house in Likas in November the same year.
In making the decision to order the man to enter his defence, judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him for the first and third charges.
Amir Shah also set Oct 23 this year for the accused to enter his defence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Dacia Jane Romanus prosecuted while counsel Datuk Seri Rakhbir Singh represented the accused.
The prosecution had called nine witnesses during the hearing.