Kota Kinabalu: A 38-year-old part-time tuition teacher was ordered to enter his defence on a charge of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.
Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain made the order against Rhurstern Chin after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
The court directed Chin to enter his defence on Wednesday.
He is accused of fondling the girl’s breasts between 3pm and 6pm in August 2024 at a tuition centre in Luyang here.
The charge, under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
The prosecution called nine witnesses during the trial.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Francis conducted the prosecution, while Jul Hamri represented Chin.
Meanwhile, in a separate case at the Magistrate’s Court, a 38-year-old woman was fined RM1,400, in default one month’s imprisonment, for gambling online in a public place.
Fatralin Sabtuni pleaded guilty before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin to committing the offence using her mobile phone at a premises in Asia City here at 1.49pm on Nov 1 this year.
Prosecuting officer Inspector Yusdi Basri handled the case.
