Scoutmaster claims trial to 8 counts of molesting minors

UPDATED @ 01:08:48 PM 01-03-2012

March 01, 2012

Parents of schoolgirls allegedly molested by the scoutmaster hold up copies of a police report, in Subang Jaya, February 15, 2011. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — A scoutmaster was charged today with eight counts of molesting female students at a co-ed secondary school in Selangor.

The 44-year-old man claimed trial in the magistrate’s court, The Star reported.

According to the English-language daily, he was alleged to have committed the offences between April and June last year.

Magistrate Nor Afidah Idris set bail at RM5,000 for each charge and fixed April 2 for the next mention of his trial.

The father of three has repeatedly denied claims that he molested at least 10 schoolgirls under his care while volunteering as a scoutmaster in the suburban school last year.

Several girl scouts from a Petaling Jaya secondary school went public early last month, alleging that the scoutmaster, whom they call “Abang Ho”, had touched them inappropriately on several occasions while at the school and at his home sometime around May last year.

The students are now in Form Two.

The Malaysian Insider understands “Abang Ho” is no longer volunteering at the school.

The man has been quoted by The Star as saying that the allegations against him “were a pack of lies and malicious.”

“All these baseless claims are made up to tarnish my image, hurt the feelings of my family and destroy my life,” he told a press conference organised by Selangor MCA on February 17.

“Abang Ho”, 44, had then been accompanied by his wife, two daughters and a son, as well as 10 scouts he had trained.

He said he met the principal of the co-ed school involved over the matter on February 8 and explained his side of the story, but charged that a parent who accused him of molesting the students had even slapped him on the face.

“Abang Ho” said when he made a police report over the matter, the investigating officer had him arrested and detained overnight to have his statement recorded over the molest allegations.

Five of the alleged victims’ parents had lodged a joint police report on February 8.

His wife vouched for him and said he was “a good and loving father.”

The scoutmaster’s 17-year-old daughter also hit out at newspapers then for fabricating stories that she was raped by her father.

“I am here today with my father. There is no such thing,” she said.

On February 22, the police said they had completed their investigations on the case and were submitting their papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers soon for further action.

“Investigations have been completed and it is a straight-forward case,” Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Mohd Adnan Abdullah was quoted by The Star as saying.