Beach boy charged with attempted rape of Qatari tourist in Penang
BALIK PULAU: A beach boy was charged at the magistrate’s court here today with assault with intent to outrage the modesty of a Qatari tourist last month.
Magistrate Nur Azzuin Abdul Moati, however, postponed the case to Aug 15 for the appointment of a suitable language interpreter to translate the charges for the accused, Sayed Salam Abu Bakar Sidik, 31, a Rohingya UNHCR card holder.
During the proceedings today, a court interpreter read a charge under Section 354 of the Penal Code against Sayed for committing the offence against Lolo Fadel Ibrahim Ashour.
The offence carries a maximum 10 years’ jail, or a fine or whipping, or both upon conviction.
Sayed is accused of committing the offence at the Monkey Beach in Teluk Bahang at 3.30pm on July 30.
He was unrepresented and no plea was recorded from him.
Sayed, whose wife was present for today’s proceedings, was denied bail and will remain in remand until his case’s mention.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Enteri Mawan prosecuted.
On Saturday, it was reported that police arrested three beach boys at the Monkey Beach for allegedly trying to rape a Qatari tourist last Monday.
The suspects included two Rohingyas, aged 31 and 28, and a Bangladeshi, aged 43.
Southwest district police chief Superintendent A.A. Anbalagan said that the 19-year-old Qatari student and her family were eating at a stall, when she got up and walked alone by the beach to take photographs.
The girl had asked two of the beach boys, who were wearing ninja masks, about a horse riding service, and one of them told her that the service was near a forest trail near the beach, which he led her to.
When they got to a forested area, however, he started behaving aggressively and held the victim’s hands behind her and pulled her back, causing the girl to fall.
He then pulled his shorts down, pulled the victim’s pants to her knees and tried to rape her, but failed. He then ejaculated on the victim’s private parts and fled.
The other suspects stood guard during the incident.
Police are awaiting receipt of Immigration records on the Bangladeshi, while the other Rohingya will be made a prosecution witness.
Ashour returned to Qatar last Saturday.
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Beach boy Sayed Salam Abu Bakar Sidik, 31, a Rohingya UNHCR card holder, was charged at the magistrate’s court here today with assault with intent to outrage the modesty of a Qatari tourist last month. The offence carries a maximum 10 years’ jail, or a fine or whipping, or both upon conviction. Pix by Shahnaz Fazlie Shahrizal
