A former principal of a religious boarding school in Batu Pahat has been sentenced to 112 years in prison and ordered to undergo 24 strokes of the cane after admitting to sexually abusing six underage boys. The Sessions Court delivered the punishment following his guilty plea to 16 separate charges of molestation.
The accused, 37-year-old Abdul Hadi Harun, was found to have committed the offences between May and June 2022. The abuse took place in school toilets and at a private residence, often during early mornings and late nights. The victims, aged between 12 and 13, were repeatedly targeted by the man, who at the time held a position of authority over them.
Judge Sayani Mohd Nor, who presided over the case, considered the prosecution’s aggravating submissions as well as the defence’s mitigation plea before handing down the sentence. The court heard that the accused had used intimidation to silence the boys, warning them not to disclose the acts.
The matter came to light when, on June 30, 2022, school management lodged a police report after receiving complaints from students. Investigations confirmed the involvement of six victims, and Abdul Hadi was arrested later the same evening.
He was charged under Sections 14(a), (b), and (d), read together with Section 16 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. Under the law, each offence carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and whipping, while additional terms are provided for acts of intimidation and threats against minors.
The court imposed five years’ imprisonment for each count under Section 14, together with an additional two years and two strokes of the cane for each charge under Section 16. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently within each section, resulting in an effective term of seven years.
Although the prosecution had initially sought 32 strokes, the final number was reduced to 24, in line with Section 288 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which limits the maximum strokes that may be legally administered.
Deputy public prosecutor Diyana Najihah Muhamed Fauzi represented the state, while the accused was defended by lawyer Mohd Razak Shariff. The ruling was seen as a stern reminder that the law will act firmly against those who exploit positions of trust to harm vulnerable children.
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