KUALA LUMPUR: A masseuse allegedly involved in the missing case of two brothers from Hulu Bernam, Selangor earlier this month was charged with physically sexually assaulting one of the boys, aged 16.
Hamid Khan Samoon,43, was charged with allegedly touching the boy's private parts and buttocks for sexual purposes.
He had committed the act from Jan 1 to Jan 10 at about 8pm at a hotel in Jalan Sultan, Dang Wangi, here.
He pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Sessions Court Judge Mohd Kafli Che Ali.
The charge under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 carries jail not more than 20 years and whipping.
Deputy public prosecutor Noorhani Muhmmed Ayub offered RM15,000 bail with one surety.
As additional conditions, she said the accused should not harass the victim and prosecution witnesses and report to the police station monthly.
In mitigation, Hamid, who was unrepresented, pleaded for lower bail as he is supporting his sister and her grandchildren.
"My sister is very dependent on me," he said.
Judge Mohd Kafli set bail at RM8,000 with one surety and allowed the prosecution's requests.
He also set Feb 21 for mention.
The two brothers aged 16 and 15 were reported missing in Taman Bernam Jaya, Hulu Selangor on Jan 1.
They were last seen at their home after returning from morning prayers.
One of them was found earlier on Jan 11 in a weak state at the Pasar Seni LRT station on Jan 11.
He claimed that an unknown individual had kept him and his brother in a motel in Jalan Petaling.
They were reportedly kept in a room until Jan 9 before being separated.
One of them managed to escape when the man fell asleep after taking drugs.
He went to a police station and led them to the motel.
Yesterday, the second boy was found safe after a homeless man brought him to the Hulu Bernam police station.
Their mother confirmed that both her sons had been found safe and pleaded for privacy.
Hulu Selangor police chief superintendent Ahmad Faizal Tahrim had said the second boy was believed to have stayed with a local man for nine days in Jalan Petaling before he fled.
He stayed alone at an abandoned hotel near Pasar Seni for six days and on Jan 15, he asked for help from the homeless man who brought him to the police station.
On Jan 18, City police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said a hospital examination on the boy found earlier showed no signs of sexual assault.
However, investigators found that the boy had been molested by the man whom he stayed with for 10 days.
The man had been remanded for seven days due to his suspected involvement.