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KUALA LUMPUR: A tuition teacher was charged in two Sessions Courts here today with six offences involving sexual assault and unnatural sex against three 11-year-old boys.
However, MD Sebastian, 46, pleaded not guilty to all six charges after they were read out separately before judges Azrul Darus and Ilmami Ahmad.
Four charges alleged that the primary school teacher, who also ran tuition classes, had sexually assaulted the three pupils at a house in Kampung Muhibbah, Jalan Puchong, between July and September.
He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
He also faced two charges of committing unnatural sex with an 11-year-old pupil at the same location between 5.30pm and 6pm on Sept 18 and 30.
The charges were brought under Section 377C of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between five and 20 years, as well as whipping, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutors V Suloshani and Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir sought bail of RM10,000 for each charge, with additional conditions that the accused be barred from approaching the victims and prosecution witnesses.
Defence lawyer Mansheel Kaur sought the minimum bail, saying her client had a permanent residence, was not a flight risk and needed to support his ailing parents.
Azrul allowed bail of RM10,000 per case in his court, while Ilmami set bail at RM10,000 per charge, bringing the total bail to RM40,000.
The courts also ordered the accused not to disturb the victims or prosecution witnesses, surrender his passport and report to the police station nearest his residence once a month until the cases are concluded.
The cases were fixed for mention on Nov 23 and Dec 18.
On Oct 16, the teacher was detained to assist investigations into allegations of sexual assault and unnatural sex involving five male students aged between 12 and 16.
He was arrested around 11.30pm on Oct 10 within the compound of the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters before being taken to the Cheras district police headquarters.
Police investigations found that the alleged offences took place at the suspect's house, which also served as a tuition centre.
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