An Unduk Ngadau (UN) contestant told the Magistrate’s Court here on Wednesday that a police report was lodged against a politician, who allegedly molested her on four occasions, because she did not want him to disturb her until the completion of the Harvest Festival beauty competition.

The contestant, who was the key witness in this case testified that apart from preventing Phillip Among @ Daniel Dell Fidelis, 52, from disturbing her, the purpose of her report was also for her safety.

The contestant was the first prosecution witness who gave her oral evidence before magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie in an on-going trial of Phillip, who was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code.

The alleged offence of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine or with whipping or any two of the punishments, upon conviction.

Under re-cross examination by the prosecution, the witness clarified that she disagreed to a suggestion by the defence counsel that her boyfriend had asked her to lodge the report as the police report on May 21, 2021, was made on her own free will.

She was allegedly molested by the accused at the studio of a company at Asia City, inside a moving car on the way from dinner to an old office, at a staircase beside a photo studio here and inside an office at Metrotown on May 19, 2021.

The witness further testified that she did not want the matter to be brought up because she still respected the accused, whom she claimed was one of the committee members of the state-level UN competition.

To another question, she testified that the accused had said that he would help her to do the promotion through video shooting and the accused also said that he would sponsor her for the competition.

“I did tell Phillip that I have no budget, but at the same time I want to grab this opportunity because it was my dream to get through top 15,” she testified.

The proceedings on Wednesday was held in an open court and a dark long fabric was still placed around the transparent acrylic sneeze guard of the accused dock as the first witness was still testifying.

The prosecution informed the court that they had finished questioning the first witness and will produce seven more witnesses, including the investigating officer of this case.

Phillip, who was represented by counsel Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah and Azhier Farhan Arisin, is currently released on a bail of RM8,000 for each of the charges with two local sureties.

Counsel Korvent Wheezar E. Jomiji held a watching brief for the witness.

The trial will resume on October 3 and 4.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by SURAINI ANDOKONG

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