KUCHING: A teacher accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old pupil three years ago was acquitted yesterday without having to enter his defence.
Sessions Court Judge Dayang Ellyn Narisa Abang Ahmad made the ruling after finding inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case.
The court ruled that the prosecution had thus failed to establish a prima facie case.
The 47-year-old teacher faced five charges under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
He was accused of committing the crime at a men’s toilet and primary school store room in Petra Jaya between April and July 2019.
The court found that the evidence adduced from the prosecution’s witnesses did not support the child’s case but was a mere reiteration.
The judge found that it was unsafe to act on the unsubstantiated evidence of the child.
The teacher was represented by counsel Shankar Ram Asnani, Yu Ying Ying and Russell Lim.
