PETALING JAYA – An executive assistant manager of a hotel here found himself in hot water today after he was charged with one count of harassing his colleague for holding her hand using criminal force.
Mohd Faizal Hussain, 53, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before magistrate Zhafran Rahim Hamzah, here, this morning.
He was accused of the said offence with intention to violate her honour in front of a ballroom of the hotel on July 13 this year.
For this, he was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which carries maximum 10 years imprisonment, fine or whipping or any two of the punishments, upon convictions.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Maryam Jamilah Md Kamal applied for the magistrate to order RM6,000 bail on the accused, with additional conditions for him to not disturb the prosecution witnesses as well as the victim.
The victim is also a former television news anchor and current colleague to the accused working at the said hotel.
However, lawyer Nur Afiqah Mohd Ashriee, who represents Faizal, appealed for a minimum RM1,500 bail on account that he is currently caring for six people – including his three school-going children, an unemployed wife, his mother as well as a bedridden father.
“The accused have also been suspended from his work after the victim lodged a police report against him. However, he has been cooperating with the authorities since he was called to give his statements to the police.
“He earns around RM9,000 monthly, but it was reduced to half since he was suspended from work.
“I also believe that my client is not a flight risk, and he has lodged a police report on September 12, that says that the victim has lodged a false report,” she said.
Afiqah also pleaded for the court to fix a case mention date in the nearest future for document submissions, as she has been instructed by her client to file a representation letter to drop the charge against him.
The magistrate fixed November 20 for case mention for document submissions and ordered RM4,000 bail on the accused. – October 3, 2023