Judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan handed down the sentence after Faizal Man, 45, pleaded guilty to 15 charges of molesting and performing oral sex on the 14-year-old teenager, Sinar Harian reported.

The offences were committed in a bedroom at the madrasah’s surau at Air Papan, Mersing, from the middle of May to Oct 21, 2024.

Faizal was charged under Section 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act, which provides for up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping, as well as additional imprisonment for up to five years and a minimum of two strokes of the rotan if convicted.

The court sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment and two strokes of the rotan on each charge, and ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.

Faizal was also ordered to undergo remedial counselling throughout his imprisonment and be placed under police monitoring for a year after his release.

According to the facts of the case, the teenager’s family made a police report after he refused to return to the madrasah on Jan 29.

The teenager claimed that after he enrolled in the madrasah on April 24, 2024, he was placed in a bedroom with the accused sometime towards the end of April, and woke up in the morning with pain in his anal region.

He claimed that he was repeatedly assaulted by the assistant teacher while asleep at night.

Faizal was arrested by police on Jan 30.