BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Magistrates’ Court yesterday ordered a man accused of outraging the modesty of a woman to be remanded after his bail was revoked for breaching one of the conditions.

The defendant Mohamad Ashri Hj Pungut, 44, was charged last week with using criminal force on a 40-year-old woman on May 23, when the defendant groped her breasts at her work place.

Ashri was released on a $5,000 court bail with strict conditions to not approach the victim at her work place and her staff house as well as not to communicate with her physically or electronically.

He was also ordered to report to the Women and Children Abuse Investigation Unit on a monthly basis which was supposed to start this Tuesday.

During the proceedings yesterday, prosecuting officer Shamshuddin Hj Kamaluddin told the court that Ashri had breached one of the bail conditions as the defendant had approached the victim on Sunday last week.

The prosecution went on to say that the complainant filed a police report the following day stating that she was groped by the defendant when the latter approached her.

Ashri however, vehemently denied the allegations as he was at another area at that time.

Following the application to revoke bail, Ashri’s surety formally discharged himself yesterday after he became aware that the defendant had breached his condition during the alleged incident with the victim on Sunday.

“If it becomes a problem to me, I do not want to be involved in this matter,” said the surety.

The prosecution further indicated that they will be filing more charges against the defendant during the next mention of the case on June 15. The presiding magistrate Hjh Ervy Sufitriana Hj Abd Rahman granted the application for bail to be revoked and ordered for Ashri to be further remanded at Jerudong Prison pending the next session.

The Brunei Times