BY Fadley Faisal

A 29-year-old local, who worked as a teacher at a private school, was on Saturday sentenced to seven years’ jail and four canings for outraging the modesty of girls between the ages of six and eight.

The defendant earlier pleaded guilty to the three charges, admitting to forcing three of his students to touch his private parts in a primary school, where he worked as a teacher on July 13, between 11am and noon.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Fitri binti Kiprawi said the defendants’ actions were “gross abuse of trust as a teacher towards three young victims” as well as “disregard for his surroundings when he committed the offences in the presence of other students”.

Judge Hajah Hazarena binti Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Jaya Dato Paduka Haji Hurairah, on handing the sentence, agreed with the deputy public prosecutor’s statement of facts by saying that the offences committed by the defendant were inexcusable as he had abused his position as a teacher.

She also expressed concerns over the long-term impact the incident had on the victims.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin