File photo depicting the Kuching Court Complex.

By Lian Cheng

KUCHING, Nov 29: The Magistrates’ Court here today dismissed the application filed by the police to remand a 26-year-old man who was suspected to have committed assault or use of criminal force on a person with intent to outrage modesty.

The case is being investigated under Section 354 of the Penal Code.

The suspect was arrested on Nov 28 at around 10.50am by a team of D9 police from the Criminal Investigation Department of IPD Kuching.

The suspect who was represented by Shankar Ram Asnani was brought before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan by the police to apply for remand under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Shankar in his submission today said among others that there was no connection between the suspect and the alleged offence, and that there was a lapse of three years from the incident and the actual police report, and as such, there was room for concoction of evidence.

The remand application was dismissed by the magistrate following the hearing.

A female assistant administrative officer had lodged a report against the suspect who is a photographer on Nov 22, 2023 alleging she was sexually harassed by the suspect at a local hotel here on Nov 21, 2020. — DayakDaily