Mohammed Som, 58, claimed trial when the three charges were read to him by an interpreter before magistrate Teoh Shu Yee.

According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly used criminal force against the 21-year-old by hugging her and kissing her cheek in the restroom of a preschool class at a school in Lubok China on Aug 16, 2024.

Mohammed also faces two other charges, allegedly for hugging the woman and kissing her forehead in a car in front of a premises at Taman Wira Indah and Taman Ilir Jaya at around 11pm on Jan 18 and July 30 last year.

The charges were framed under Section 354 of the Penal Code for using criminal force with the intent to outrage a person’s modesty, punishable with imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine, or whipping, or any two of such punishments, upon conviction.

The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Fiqri Hakim Zamri and the accused was represented by Hanif Hassan, Kosmo reported.

The court allowed the accused bail of RM7,500 with one surety and fixed March 6 for case re-mention.