PETALING JAYA: A 52-year-old bank officer was charged with two counts of sexual harassment at the Ipoh magistrate’s court on Friday, with the incidents allegedly occurring three years ago.

Rosman Jamaluddin pleaded not guilty to charges of sending obscene WhatsApp messages to a 38-year-old woman on May 20, 2021 and August 18, 2021, with the messages allegedly sent from a location on Jalan Perajurit, Ipoh Garden East, as reported by Sinar Harian.

The charges fall under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

During the court proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Hidayu Zakaria requested bail of RM5,000 and a condition preventing the accused from disturbing the victim.

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However, defence lawyer Khairil Azwar Khalil requested the court to reduce the bail amount, citing the accused’s high blood pressure, a slipped disc, and his responsibility to support his wife, four school-aged children, and his mother.

Khairil Azwar also noted that the accused is undergoing psychiatric treatment and expressed concerns about potential cyberbullying due to social media discussions.

Magistrate S. Punitha set bail at RM2,500 for both charges and ordered the accused not to interfere with the victim.

The court did not issue orders regarding social media discussions but advised monitoring of potentially prejudicial comments.

The next court date is set for November 25.