Singaporean claims trial to hitting, injuring Melaka tahfiz students
MELAKA - A Singaporean warden of a tahfiz institution in Melaka claimed trial at two Sessions Courts to five charges of hitting his four students to the extent of injuring them.
Muhammad Farhan Abdul Rashif, 35, entered a plea of not guilty when the charges were read out before Sessions judges Darmafikri Abu Adam and Mohd Sabri Ismail on Tuesday.
Based on the first two charges at the first court, the accused allegedly exposed two students in his care to danger in a manner likely to cause physical or emotional injuries.
The victims were allegedly hit on the cheek, kicked in the stomach and stomped on the chest, causing one to sustain injuries on his right leg, at the tahfiz centre teacher’s quarters in Melaka Tengah district on May 7 and 8.
Tahfiz, which means to memorise in Arabic, refers to an Islamic tradition of memorising all verses of the Quran.
The two charges were framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
Any person found guilty shall be liable to a fine of not more than RM50,000 (S$14,600), a jail term of up to 20 years, or both.
The accused also faced three more charges under the same Section at the second court for physical assaults of two 15-year-old students by slapping and stomping on them and hitting them with a cane.
The three offences were allegedly committed at a surau and a sports court at the tahfiz centre in the middle of February and on May 10.
No bail was granted by both courts. The accused will return to court on June 26. - THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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