PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today reduced the jail sentence of a former Jawi teacher linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) from 10 years to five years for caning three pupils and kneeling on the chest one of them.
A three-judge panel led by Datuk Azman Abdullah unanimously allowed the appeal of Muhammad Barur Rahim Hisam, 25, who was also the religious school warden, against the sentence imposed by the Klang Sessions Court, which was upheld by the Klang High Court last year.
In September 2024, Barur pleaded guilty to four charges framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 before Sessions Court judge Noridah Adam.
He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment and ordered to execute a five-year good behaviour bond with a surety of RM10,000 for each charge.
Delivering the decision, Azman, who sat with Datuk Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz dan Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid, said the conviction on all charges was safe.
"It did not prejudice the appellant (Barur) because he had been asked on the guilty plea and the nature and consequence of his plea had been explained to him after the charge was read out.
"On the sentence, we allow part of the appeal," he said.
The imprisonment for three charges of caning the three boys, then aged 11 and 10, was reduced to one year each; while the charge for kneeling on the chest of one boy was lessened to two years.
Azman said the jail sentences will remain being served consecutively while the five-year good behaviour bond was lowered to RM3,000 for each charge.
Barur, dressed in a blue prison outfit, appeared composed in the dock before being escorted out of the courtroom by prison warders.
Several of his family members were present in the packed courtroom.
He was represented by defence lawyers Najib Zakaria, Boestamam Ahmad and Dorina Abdullah while the prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Nur Shazwani Ishak.
Barur was charged after two viral videos emerged on social media showing a boy crying while a man knelt on his chest and caning another on his palm.
A video of Barur committing the act was found in a handphone seized by the police.
Barur had admitted to caning a victim on his palm five times with a rotan for littering in the school; the second victim six times on his palm and the third victim with a rotan, a broomstick and a badminton racket.
He also recorded himself kneeling on the chest of one of the boys.
Medical reports showed bruises and old injuries on the fingers of two boys. - NST
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