Ex-Sedili assemblyman freed on charge of outraging woman's modesty

JOHOR BAHRU: The Muar Magistrate's Court today discharged and acquitted former Sedili assemblyman, Rasman Ithnain, on a charge of outraging the modesty of a woman in January last year.

Magistrate Analia Kamarudin made the ruling after finding that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Rasman, 54, at the end of the prosecution case.

When contacted, lawyer Mohamad Alias Rasman, representing the accused, said that the court, in a summary judgment, among other things stated that after assessing the trustworthiness of the prosecution witnesses to the maximum extent throughout the trial, the court found that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Rasman.

"Thus, the accused was discharged and acquitted and the bail money was returned," he said, adding that four prosecution witnesses testified at the trial, which took place in August last year.

The prosecution was conducted by Johor prosecution director, Tengku Amir Zaki Tengku Abdul Rahman and deputy public prosecutor, Hayatul Wirdah Mohd Yunos, while Rasman was also represented by lawyers, Muhammad Mohd Nasir and Muhammad Izzad Syafiq Ismail.

Tengku Amir Zaki, when contacted, confirmed the ruling.

Rasman was accused of committing criminal violence with the intention of outraging the modesty of a 27-year-old woman in a vehicle in Muar, at about 5 pm on Jan 13 last year.

The charge was framed under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum 10-year jail term or a fine or whipping, or any two of such punishments, if convicted.

Meanwhile, Rasman, who is also the Kota Tinggi Bersatu division chief, in a statement, expressed his gratitude for the decision and that he was able to uphold the truth.

Rasman, a Sedili assemblyman for three terms, from 2008 to Jan 22 last year, said that he will continue to commit to serving the people, and views the case as a series of tests for him and his family.

-- BERNAMA