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A FORTY-eight-year-old mentally disabled man has been ordered to undergo a one-month psychiatric evaluation at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak, after pleading guilty to two counts of physical sexual assault against two teenage girls.
The accused, Abd Sofar Abd Satar, entered his plea after the charges were read to him before Sessions Court Judge Zulkpli Abdullah. Despite the guilty plea, the court deferred sentencing pending the outcome of the psychiatric assessment.
According to the first charge, Abd Sofar was accused of committing physical sexual assault by touching the body of a fourteen-year-old girl for sexual purposes.
The second charge stated that he committed the same offence against a sixteen-year-old girl. Both incidents took place outside a school in Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat, at 1.30 pm on 20 May 2026, and at 1.40 pm on 31 March 2026, respectively.
The charges were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a penalty of up to twenty years imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Aiysha Na'ilah Harizan informed the court that the prosecution had been notified that the accused holds a mental disability card.
Consequently, she requested that the accused be sent to the psychiatric hospital for a month-long assessment of his mental state before any formal sentencing or judgment is passed down.
The accused, who was unrepresented by counsel, pleaded for leniency during the proceedings, expressing remorse for his actions. He told the court that he had repented and realized his mistakes, stating, "I became like this because of a lack of love."
Judge Zulkpli subsequently ordered the accused to be remanded at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta for the one-month evaluation period and set 8 July for the mention of the case. - June 10, 2026
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