MUAR: The school bus driver who uploaded a video recording of children in the bus and referred to them as his “crush” and favourite was charged in the Sessions Court here today with two counts of committing sexual assault.
The 24-year-old single man pleaded not guilty to both charges.
On the first charge, he was alleged to have committed physical sexual assault on his four-year-old niece in a school bus in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, between 5 and 6 pm, from April to September this year.
The charge, under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2 provides a prison sentence of not more than 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
He was also charged under Section 15(a) (iii) of the same law with committing non-physical sexual assault on a nine-year-old female student by repeatedly watching her at the same location and on the same date.
Judge Sayani Mohd Nor allowed the accused bail of RM30,000 with one surety on both charges and also ordered him to report himself at the nearest police station once a month and not to intimidate the victims and witnesses in the case.
The court set Oct 10 for mention for the submission of documents.
Johor Director of Prosecution Abdul Ghafar Ab Latif appeared for the prosecution while the accused was represented by lawyer Umar Zulkarnain.
Last Thursday, a social media user shared a screenshot of a school bus driver’s TikTok post referring to a female student as his ‘crush and ‘favourite”.
Following that, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri instructed an officer from the Child Development Department (JPKK) to file a police report against the bus driver.
On Sept 6, police arrested the bus driver.
