PETALING JAYA: A 34-year-old man has been freed of two charges of sexually harassing his nine-year-old niece after the purported victim and her father decided they did not want to pursue the case any further.
Kota Kinabalu sessions court judge Hurman Hussain granted the accused a discharge and acquittal at the request of lawyer Mohammad Syazwan, Sabah Media reported.
The prosecution had sought for the accused to only be granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.
He had been charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 with committing physical sexual assault on his niece at a house in Kampung Marakau, Ranau, in June 2023.
The offence of physical sexual assault is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and whipping, upon conviction.
The judge also ordered the bail amount the man had paid to be refunded.