BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A BANGLADESHI man is facing up to five years in jail and lashes of the cane after he pleaded guilty yesterday to the charge of outraging the modesty of a woman.

The court document submitted by deputy public prosecutor Sharon Yeo states that on August 10, defendant Loftar Rahman Abdul Gafar, 33, was assigned by his employer to do some construction work at a house in Kg Subok.

While at the house, the defendant asked the complainant, a domestic helper at the house, for direction to the toilet. The complainant gave the direction and resumed her work in the kitchen, when suddenly Lotfar came and held the complainant from behind.

Loftar had used criminal force to hold the complainant in place as he used his right hand to touch her right waist and his left hand to squeeze her breast.

The defendant only released the complainant when she felt outraged and shouted at him. The complainant then informed one of the Filipino contractors who arrived at the house to do some maintenance work.

The contractor then relayed the message to the sister of the complainant’s employer who in turn confronted Lotfar about the incident. Lotfar admitted to her that he had outraged the modesty of the complainant.

Following his arrest and investigation, Lotfar told the police that he committed the offence because he was attracted to the complainant.

During the proceedings yesterday before magistrate Azrimah Hj Abd Rahman, a teary-eyed Lotfar sought for the court’s leniency because his family would suffer hardship if he is no longer employed in Brunei.

He further told the court that he apologised to the complainant shortly after the incident.

Loftar was ordered to be further remanded yesterday pending the sentencing on August 29.

The Brunei Times