BUTTERWORTH: A Pakistani man was charged in the Sessions Court here today with sodomising an eight-year-old boy, last month.

However, no plea was recorded from contract labourer Ali Asghar, 20, as he did not understand the charge that was read to him before judge Noor Aini Yusof, in Bahasa Malaysia.

The accused was charged with committing the unnatural sex on the boy at a flat in Perai Jaya at 2 pm on May 27.

The charge was framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries an imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping, if found guilty.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Fazliyana Ahmad appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented.

The court did not allow bail for the accused and set July 19 for mention, as well as for an interpreter to read the charge to the man in his native language.

According to media reports, the victim's father had lodged a police report on the incident, in which his youngest son was approached by the suspect at a playground at about 2pm, who then took the boy to his rented house before forcibly committing the sexual assault on him.

-- BERNAMA