Couple running religious school charged with abusing 5 kids

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KUANTAN: A married couple running a tahfiz centre were charged in the Sessions Court here today with abusing five children under their care.

Uji Che Mat, 43, and her husband, Mohd Zamzuri Abdul Manap, 42, pleaded not guilty to the charges before judge Dazuki Ali.

Uji, a mother of five, was charged with abusing a seven-year-old boy by repeatedly threatening to burn his private part with a lighter and cutting it with a pair of garden shears.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Ribath Tahfiz Asy-Syirazi, on Lorong Tok Sira, Jalan Tengku Muhammad, here at 11.51am on Aug 18.

She was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and if convicted can be fined up to RM50,000 or imprisoned up to 20 years.

The woman was also charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code with outraging the modesty of the boy by holding and pulling his private part at the same place and time.

She faces a jail term of up to 10 years, or fine, or whipping, or any two of the punishments, if found guilty.

Uji was also jointly charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 with Zamzuri with ill-treating four other children, aged between seven and 12, who were students at the centre by whipping them on several occasions, hence causing the children to be physically injured.

They were alleged to have committed the offence at the tahfiz centre at noon and evening between Jan 2 and Jan 31, 2017.

Meanwhile, Zamzuri also faced another charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act with whipping a seven-year-old boy at the centre at 8.18pm last Aug 11.

Dazuki set bail of RM25,000 and RM20,000 in one surety each for Uji and Zamzuri respectively and fixed Oct 4 for mention.

He also ordered the couple, who are from Kampung Selamat, to not intimidating the victims or their family members.

Both the accused did not post bail.