19-Year-Old Punished By Waterboarding Says He Stole Money To Buy Medicine For His Grandpa
The teenager has since been sentenced to 10 days' jail and a RM4,000 fine by the Selayang Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 13 January.
By May Vin Ang — 14 Jan 2022, 12:49 PM — Updated almost 3 years ago
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Editor's Note: The story has been updated with a statement by the accused's grandfather.
Disclaimer: This story contains disturbing images. Viewer discretion is advised.
A video of a teenager getting waterboarded by a group of adults on a mortuary bed in a mosque in Selangor has gone viral on social media
According to Berita Harian, the incident is confirmed to have taken place at the Al-Islahiah Mosque in Kuang, Rawang last Saturday, 8 January.
It was reported that the 19-year-old was being punished for stealing money from the mosque and hiding it in the mosque's mortuary bathroom.
When caught, mosque officials punished him by physically restraining him to a mortuary bed and dousing him with running pipe water.
The incident was recorded in a one-minute-and-25-second video that showed the men holding the teen down and also covering the teen's face with a piece of cloth and pouring water all over his head and body.
On Twitter, a viral repost of the video reads, "Serves you right! Who told you to steal the mosque's savings box?"
While a handful of social media users supported the mosque officials for teaching the teenager a lesson, many more decried the barbarous punishment regardless of his wrongdoing
"Waterboarding is barbaric and it's torture. Stealing is wrong but so is waterboarding that kid. Hold that ustaz and his cronies accountable, they should be the ones in prison," said a Twitter user.
"Why the f***k isn't corporal punishment against the law in Malaysia yet?"
"A police report should be filed against those who did this. Whipping with a hose and waterboarding," said another, as netizens highlighted it was a form of assault.
"Rather than acting with compassion and finding out how to help him, this is what they did. Cruel."
The teenager has since been sentenced to 10 days' jail and a RM4,000 fine by the Selayang Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 13 January
Magistrate Nik Mohd Fadli Nik Azlan passed the sentence on 19-year-old Daniel Iskandar after the accused pleaded guilty to the offences, reported Free Malaysia Today.
Daniel was charged under Sections 380 and 511 of the Penal Code for theft and attempting to commit a crime.
Before the sentence was meted, the magistrate reprimanded Daniel for stealing the funds.
He said, "What's wrong with you? People's money is allocated for the community and the construction of mosques. You stole it and put it in the mortuary. I hope you learn from this."
Earlier, defence counsel Azman Abdullah asked the court to impose a more lenient sentence as it was the teenager's first offence and that he was sorry for the crime
The lawyer said Daniel was stealing the money to buy medication for his grandfather, who has diabetes, and had asked others for help but could not find any.
"The accused is the oldest of three children and his parents have been divorced since he was eight years old. He lives with his grandfather, who is in his 70s, and they are poor," said the lawyer, as quoted by Berita Harian.
"Their food and drinks are often given as handouts from their neighbours."
Azman added that while the accused has pleaded guilty, the act of taking a video and spreading it on social media was not necessary and has caused distress to the teenager and his family.
However, Sungai Buloh police chief Supt Shafa'aton Abu Bakar said the 19-year-old stole the money to buy drugs and gamble online
"His urine screening test was positive for syabu," she said today, 14 January, as quoted by Sinar Harian.
In an interview with Malaysia Gazette, Daniel's grandfather, Rosli Sidek, has also shared today that his grandson is a troubled teenager and has previously stolen money from himself and his late grandmother.
He added that he did not ask Daniel to steal money to buy any medication and hopes that the law will change his grandson's future for the better.
There has been no media reports regarding an investigation into the waterboarding incident itself or if action will be taken on the mosque officials for abusing the teenager.
