BUTTERWORTH – An elderly man was charged at the sessions court here on 10 counts of rape and seven counts of sexual assault against two girls, committing the acts over the last eight years.
The accused, Ashaari Ibrahim, 74, who also teaches religious classes, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before judges Noor Aini Yusof and Norhayati Mohamad Yunus in separate courtrooms.
According to the charge sheet, he was accused of raping two siblings who are now 13 and 11 years old from 2014 to 2020 at his residence in Prai.
He was also accused of oral sex and groping the girls from 2018 until early March last year, at the same location.
Deputy public prosecutor Aisyah Al Humayrah Kamaruzaman has applied for the court to deny bail as the victims stay near the accused.
“In fact, I was also informed that there were about 10 children who were victims of the accused.
“With the release of the accused, I am worried that the accused will harass the victims, resulting in them not wanting to testify in court.”
Both courts did not allow bail and set July 29 as the date for the submission of documents and an appointment of a lawyer to represent the defendant. – The Vibes, June 29, 2022
