A religious teacher was sentenced to six months’ jail and slapped with the maximum fine of RM2,000 by the Kajang magistrate’s court today for causing hurt on his 11-year-old student by caning him on the legs because the boy refused to pray.

Magistrate Nor Afidah Idrisn handed down the sentence on Muhammad Adib Abd Halim, 24, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution’s case at the end of the defence case.

“The court is satisfied that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts. Elements in Section 323 of the Penal Code have been established.The person summoned (Muhammad Adib) is thus sentenced to six months’ jail from today and fined RM2,000,” she added.

Muhammad Adib, represented by lawyer Khairul Amin Abdullah, however, appealed for a stay of the sentence pending his appeal to the High Court.

Nor Afidah allowed a stay of the sentence but ordered the fine to be paid today.

Muhammad Adib paid the fine.

Muhammad Adib was charged with voluntarily causing hurt to a Year 5 pupil by whipping both the boy’s legs with a cane at a school in Bandar Seri Putra, Hulu Langat, Kajang, at 2.25pm on Aug 16, 2017.

He was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail sentence of up to one year or a fine not exceeding RM2,000, or both, if convicted.

Earlier during mitigation, Khairul Amin requested for Muhammad Adib to be placed on good behaviour bond on grounds that his client, who was still young, got married last May and now had a wife to support.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Hairul Iqram Hairuddin, who prosecuted, said although Muhamamd Adib was still young, he was mature enough to differentiate the good and bad.

Also present at today’s proceeding were Muhammad Adib’s wife and parents, and an NGO, Persatuan Gerakan Kebangkitan Pendidik Kebangsaan (Pendidik), represented by its president, Normala Sudirman.

— Bernama