E-Hailing Driver Pleads Not Guilty to Outraging Modesty of Passenger

MELAKA: An e-hailing driver pleaded not guilty at the Ayer Keroh Magistrate’s Court here today to a charge of outraging the modesty of his passenger last month.

The accused, Mohd Ali Husin, 40, who was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code, made the plea before Magistrate Nur Afiqah Radhiah Zainurin.

According to the charge, he was accused of using criminal force against a 27-year-old woman with the intention of outraging her modesty.

Mohd Ali was alleged to have committed the offence inside a Proton Saga car along Jalan Bukit Rambai, near Taman Bukit Rambai, here, on 27 May, at around 12.40 p.m.

If convicted, the accused faces imprisonment of up to 10 years, or a fine, or whipping, or any two of the punishments.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Nur Alia Safri then requested a new mention date for counsel appointment and document submission.

She proposed bail of RM10,000 with one surety and an additional condition that the accused not approach or disturb the victim.

Lawyer SS Amritpal Singh, representing the accused, informed the court that his client is married and currently has no permanent employment after his contract with a corporate company ended.

The court then allowed the accused to be released on bail of RM5,000 with one surety, subject to the conditions requested by the prosecution, and set the next mention date for 10 August.

According to police investigations, the victim, who works as a security guard at a university in Kuala Lumpur, made an e-hailing booking immediately upon arriving at Melaka Sentral to return to her home in Taman Rambai Jaya on the day of the incident.

The accused asked the complainant to sit in the front passenger seat, and the victim complied without suspecting anything, before being molested when they were nearing the housing area.

Harian Metro