Kota Kinabalu: A 34-year-old man was discharged and acquitted (DNA) from two charges of committing physical sexual harassment against his niece.
Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain freed the man on Monday, after being informed by the prosecution that the alleged victim and her father did not wish to continue with the case.
Earlier, the prosecution told the court that the prosecution decided to discontinue the case and asked for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to be given to the man whose case was brought for mention to know the status of the outcome of the representation letter.
However, counsel Mohamad Syazwan Shah Mohamad Ali who defended the man, requested for DNA to be given to his client since the alleged victim and her father were not interested to proceed with the case.
On the first count, the man was accused of committing the offence by asking the nine-year-old girl to perform oral sex on him at 10pm in June 2023 at a house in Kg Marakau, Ranau.
On the second count, he allegedly committed the offence by asking the same girl to hold his private parts at the same place and time.
On May 27, 2024, the man was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, on conviction.
The court ordered for the bail sum that posted by the man previously, to be refunded to him.
Meanwhile, two women and six men were jailed four months each for entering the State without identity documents.
The eight admitted to the charge against them and were arrested recently at the city area by the police after failing to produce their identification documents.
The court ordered the illegal immigrants to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrests and referred to the Immigration Department for further action.
