TENOM: The ninth witness in the sexual harassment trial of Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew, or Ebit Lew, told the magistrates’ court here today she never flirted or had any relationship with the preacher.
The woman, in her 40s, said she reached out to Ebit solely to address family matters and, during that time, he also displayed concern for her problems.
She testified that Ebit would offer compliments before sending explicit messages, and he asked her to send him photographs.
“I never even contemplated entering into a relationship with Ebit, let alone for sexual purposes.
“I kept responding to his messages until there was a time when I acceded to his request for my photograph,” she said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Zahida Zakaria.
The witness also noted that she faced criticism after filing a police report against Ebit, adding that she had been accused of defaming him.
“I had no motive and no intention to defame him. The truth is, his actions are undeniable, and there were numerous other victims, as he confessed to me on July 29, 2021,” said the witness, who also positively identified Ebit.
The woman testified that from March to June 2021, in addition to receiving lewd messages, Ebit also contacted her on WhatsApp, made video calls, and sent Instagram messages.
Ebit, 38, faces 11 charges, including outraging the modesty of a woman, by sending obscene words and images to her phone between March and June 2021.
The charges under Section 509 of the Penal Code provide for a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine, or both, if convicted.
In the afternoon session, the witness said that she had sent several images of her upper body to Ebit.
During cross-examination by Ebit’s counsel, Ram Singh, the witness, who has been married for 10 years, said she became angry because she had complied with Ebit’s demands to send her images, so she then decided to speak to her husband.
The trial will resume on Aug 26. - FMT
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