Ex-hostel warden, teacher gets 16 years’ jail, 10 strokes for sexually assaulting 14yo student

Prison cell. — DayakDaily.com file pic. // Image by Ichigo121212 from Pixabay

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, May 8: A former hostel warden and teacher has been sentenced to 16 years in prison and ordered to receive 10 strokes of the cane after the Sessions Court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old male student.

Sessions Court judge Iris Awen Jon ruled that the 43-year-old accused had failed to cast reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case following the conclusion of the trial.

The offences were committed in June 2022 at the warden’s residence, located within the school compound. Evidence presented in court revealed that the victim had gone to the warden’s quarters for help after feeling unwell. While the teenager was asleep, the accused molested him by touching his private parts.

The court heard that the abuse continued into 2023, particularly whenever the victim breached hostel rules. The incidents left the student traumatised and fearful of remaining in the school environment.

The abuse eventually came to light after the victim confided in his mother, who later lodged a police report.

The accused was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOACA) 2017, punishable under Section 14 of the same Act and read together with Section 16.

Judge Iris noted that the defense had claimed the accused was not solely responsible for hostel duties, as other teachers also served as wardens and discipline teachers on a rotational basis. The accused further claimed he often returned home to care for his elderly and ailing parents.

However, the court found that these matters were never raised during the prosecution stage, and no witnesses were called by the defense to support the claims.

“The allegations raised by the accused were unsupported and amounted to bare denials,” the judge said, adding that the prosecution’s evidence remained intact and credible.

For the offense under Section 14 of SOACA 2017, the court imposed a 13-year jail sentence and eight strokes of the cane.

An additional three years’ imprisonment and two strokes of the cane were handed down under Section 16 of the same Act.

The court also ordered the accused to undergo supervision for two years while serving his prison sentence, under Section 26 of SOACA 2017, followed by another two years of monitoring after his release, pursuant to Section 27 of the Act.

Judge Iris further directed that the sentence run concurrently with another conviction involving the sexual assault of a 16-year-old male student, decided by the Kuching Sessions Court on Oct 2, 2025.

The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Aiman Mutallib Mohamad Shariff, called five witnesses during the trial, including the victim, the complainant, the investigating officer, the arresting officer, and a police photographer. — DayakDaily