DAP Assemblyman's Ex-Aide Gets 3 Years' Jail For Molesting A Female Student
He was also fined RM7,000.
By Sadho Ram — 13 Nov 2019, 11:34 PM
A former Penang councillor from DAP has been found guilty by a magistrate's court in George Town of outraging the modesty of a female student in an incident that happened at a parking lot in 2017
According to a report in Malay Mail, the man was identified as 52-year-old L Prem Anand.
He was sentenced to be jailed three years and fined RM7,000 by the Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 12 November after being convicted of molesting the student two years ago.
The man, who was a DAP assemblyman's former aide, was found guilty of using criminal force under Section 354 of the Penal Code to outrage the modesty of the victim who was 21 years old at the time.
The incident took place at the parking lot of an entertainment outlet in Lebuh Pantai at 11.30pm on 6 July 2017, New Straits Times reported.
During the sentencing, Magistrate Jamaliah said the defence had failed to raise doubts on the prosecution's prima facie case
"After making a maximum evaluation on the submissions made by the prosecution and defence, the court found the accused guilty of the charge," she said, as reported by theSundaily.
"I find you guilty of the offence and sentence you to three years' jail commencing from the date you were charged," the Magistrate said when delivering her verdict.
He was charged with outraging the modesty of the student on 18 July 2017.
L Prem Anand is pictured at the George Town Magistrate's Court on 12 November.
Image via Sayuti Zainudin/Malay MailHowever, Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap granted the man a stay of execution pending appeal following submissions made by his lawyers
The Star reported that Prem Anand was allowed for the stay pending the appeal after his lawyers E Gnasegaran and Audrey Wee raised the fact that he deserved the consideration of the court.
Magistrate Jamaliah allowed the stay with a condition of RM30,000 bail with two Malaysian sureties and also told him to report to the nearest police station once a month.
She also ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
At the time of the incident, the victim, who cannot be named to protect her privacy, was working as a part-time waitress
The court was told that the accused had exposed his genitals to the victim and asked her to use her hand or mouth on them, according to Malay Mail.
However, when she refused, he masturbated and ejaculated on her.
The Star reported the victim testifying that she was offered between RM500 and RM700 to spend a night with the accused but she declined his offer.
