Local man charged for allegedly molesting visually impaired female patient in hospital

Court - DayakDaily.com file pic. // Photo: Pixabay

KUCHING, Jan 25: A local man was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today for allegedly molesting a 31-year-old visually impaired female patient with disabilities (OKU) in a hospital last Monday.

The 56-year-old accused pleaded not guilty to the charge read by the interpreter before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan.

According to the charge, the accused allegedly touched the thigh of a 31-year-old female OKU patient in a cancer treatment ward of a hospital here, around 12.30 noon last Monday (January 22).

According to Section 354 of the Penal Code, if convicted, the accused could face imprisonment for up to 10 years, a fine, caning, or any combination thereof.

Mason Jaro then allowed the accused to be released on bail of RM900 with a local surety while awaiting the case management date on Feb 27.

It is understood that the victim’s mother, returning from the ward restroom, observed a man at her daughter’s bed.

She witnessed the man touching her daughter’s thigh as she lay in bed.

The police report was filed by the victim’s mother, leading to the arrest of the accused on the same day.

The case was prosecuted by Inspector Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang, while the accused was not represented by legal counsel. — DayakDaily