MELAKA: A school mudir (administrator) and warden of a tahfiz centre in the state were arrested to facilitate investigations into a sexual assault and physical abuse case involving six students.
The suspects, who are siblings and from Singapore, were picked up by the police in Tanjung Minyak between 1pm and 1.30pm yesterday.
State police chief Datuk Zainol Samah said the brothers, aged 40 and 36, were arrested after a report was lodged against them by six victims.
The victims, who are students at the centre, aged between 13 and 15, lodged the report at the Batang Tiga police station.
According to the report, Zainol said three of the victims claimed they were kissed, instructed to massage the private parts and perform oral sex on one of the suspects.
"The three other victims claimed they were slapped, punched and stepped as well as hit using a rotan by the other suspect.
"According to the statements from the victims, the incident allegedly happened on a number of occasions with the latest incident taking place on May 7.
"The incident had allegedly taken place at three separate locations including at the tahfiz centre and a condominium in Klebang.
"The victims claimed they were abused after they were unable to finish their work on time, such as cleaning the premises of the tahfiz centre," Zainol told reporters.
He added that one of the suspects, who is the founder of the centre, has past records of committing offences under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 for physical sexual assault on a child as well as Section 377B of the Penal Code for committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature.
"Investigation is still on-going and the case is being investigated under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001," he said.
