Teen sexual assault victim still traumatised
KLANG: Celebrity preacher Azman Syah Alias has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy and was slapped with a 24 year jail sentence and given two strokes of the rotan.
Sessions Court judge Noridah Adam also refused him a stay of execution and ordered him to be sent to jail immediately.
Noridah imposed a 12-year jail sentence and one stroke of the cane for each of the two charges faced by the accused, better known as PU Azman, and ordered him to serve the sentence consecutively from yesterday.
The judge meted out the sentence after finding that the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt at the end of its case.The 43-year-old was also ordered to undergo counselling throughout his time in prison and be under police supervision for two years after completing his sentence.
Azman Syah was charged with two counts of committing physical sexual assault on the boy at a homestay in Kampung Sungai Udang here at 12.15am and 1am on Feb 20 and June 29, 2022.
The charges under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 carry imprisonment not exceeding 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
During mitigation, Azman Syah’s lawyer, Mohamad Zahid Ahmad, requested a minimum sentence for his client, taking into account that the accused has no criminal record, Bernama reported.
“The accused is a preacher who has contributed significantly to the community, including providing motivation and Quranic classes, as well as teaching the youth, particularly, to become literate in the Quran.
“The accused is the youngest of seven siblings and the principal breadwinner for the family, having also assisted many families. If the court imposes a long prison sentence, it will greatly affect both the accused and his family,” Mohamad Zahid said, adding that his client is divorced.
The lawyer further said Azman Syah had fully cooperated with the police and the court throughout the trial process.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul ‘Izzati Mohamad requested a heavier sentence, considering the seriousness of the sexual offence committed, emphasising that the maximum penalty under the Act is 20 years’ imprisonment.
“The rise in sexual offences against children in Malaysia, especially in Selangor, must be curbed by imposing harsh sentences, not only to teach the accused a lesson but also to serve as a warning to the wider public.
“This vile act must be stopped immediately. A severe sentence will send a clear and strong message to society, deterring them from committing physical sexual assault against children.
“The victim respected the accused as a celebrity preacher, but the accused took advantage of him. The accused should have guided the victim, not betrayed the trust placed in him by the child’s teachers and parents,” she said.
Nurul ‘Izzati then presented the victim’s impact statement which was read out in the court.
The statement, among other things, mentioned that the victim now suffers from prolonged trauma and has experienced both physical and emotional harm after the “dark incident”.
The victim now lives in constant fear when in public, and the family is also embarrassed to participate in localc community activities.
Azman Syah, clad in a blue kurta, appeared calm throughout the proceedings.
He is also facing nine more charges related to sexual crimes, namely five charges in the Seremban Sessions Court, two cases in the Shah Alam Sessions Court, and one case each in the Klang Magistrate’s and Ampang Sessions courts.
