Kota Kinabalu: A 51-year-old farmer charged with sexually harassing his stepdaughter will go trial on Oct 17-18.
Sessions Court Judge Ummu Khaltom Abdul Samad set the date for the man during his pre-trial case management on Wednesday.
He is accused of committing the offence by kissing the 10-year-old girl at the end of October 2021 between noon and 7pm at the river of a village in Ranau.
The offence under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction.
As the man is related to the girl, he faces additional sentence under Section 16 of the same Act which carries a jail term of up to five years, and whipping at least two strokes of the cane, on conviction.
The prosecution informed the court that six witnesses would be called during the hearing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Dacia Jane Romanus who stood in for DPP Fauzi appeared for the prosecution while counsel Cedric Choo defended the man.
Pending the trial date, the man was ordered remanded further.
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