Cops charged with sexual assault, extortion of student

KUALA LUMPUR - A police lance corporal pleaded not guilty at the Ampang Sessions Court here today to four charges of sexual offences including raping an Uzbekistan student inside a police patrol car last week.

Muhammad Fazrul Razzi Yunus, 31, faces charges of rape, engaging in unnatural intercourse, having sexual relations, and physical sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl inside a police patrol car on the side of Persiaran Saujana Ampang road at 10.30pm on Jan 9.

The father of two was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code for rape, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.

As for the offence of engaging in unnatural intercourse, the charge was brought under Section 377C of the Penal Code, which entails a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.

For the charge of sexual relations, the charge was framed under Section 377CA of the same code, carrying a maximum imprisonment of not more than 30 years and whipping, and the charge of committing physical sexual assault was under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, with a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and whipping.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nor Azizah Mohamad proposed a bail of RM20,000 for each charge, with additional conditions that the accused surrender his passport to the court, report to the nearby police station once a month, and refrain from tampering with prosecution witnesses until the case concludes.

Muhammad Fazrul's lawyer, G. Visvanathan Nair, requested bail of RM5,000 for each charge, citing that his client had cooperated well throughout the police investigation and did not pose a flight risk.

"My client also suffers from nerve and muscle disorders, and has family responsibilities, including two young children and elderly parents," he added.

Judge Norshila Kamaruddin approved bail of RM20,000 for all four charges, with the additional conditions requested by the prosecution, and set March 12 for the case mention.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Fazrul and his colleague, Constable Muhammad Adib Aikal Sharul Nizam, 24, pleaded not guilty in the Ampang Magistrates Court to charges of extorting the girl's local boyfriend, allegedly threatening to distribute a video of the couple engaging in intimate acts, leading him to hand over RM500 to the two policemen.

The charges, under Section 384 of the Penal Code, carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment or a fine or whipping, or any combination, upon conviction.

Magistrate Amalina Basirah Md Top granted bail of RM4,000 for each accused, with the same conditions as stipulated by the Sessions Court, and scheduled case mention for March 12.

The prosecution team included DPP Zahida Zakaria, while Muhammad Adib was represented by lawyer Kee Wei Lon.

Both accused posted bail. - BERNAMA