Labourer claims trial to sexually abusing three children at welfare centre

 

A labourer has claimed trial to sexually abusing three children who were living at a Kota Bharu welfare centre run by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).

Mohd Hamdan Yasin, 38, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His wife is a caretaker at the centre.

The victims are three girls who were nine, 12, and 13 years old when the alleged crimes occurred.

For the first offence, Mohd Hamdan is accused of sexually touching the genitals of a girl. The offence occurred around 2am, sometime in September 2020 in a living room at the welfare centre. The girl was 13 years old at the time.

For the second and third offence, he is alleged to have committed the same act against another girl sometime in July 2019 and September 2020 at the same location. The victim was 12 when the first incident occurred.

For the fourth offence, Mohd Hamdan is accused to have committed the same act to a third girl, at around 3pm sometime in April 2019 at the same location. The girl was nine at the time.

All four charges were under Section 14(a) of the Child Sexual Offence Act which carries a sentence of up 20 years in jail and whipping if convicted.

Mohd Hamdan and his wife Nor Adila Zakaria, 35, also pleaded not guilty to a fifth charge of abusing a 13-year-old boy to the point of physical injury on March 17 this year.

They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act, which is punishable with a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or up to 20 years jail, or both.

Bail was not granted for Mohd Hamdan, while his wife was granted bail at RM15,000 in one surety.

The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Hajarul Falenna Itah Abu Bakar, while the accused were represented by Zuhaidie Akmal Hasan Basri.

The case is set for re-mention on May 10. - Mkini