MELAKA: A 50-year-old restaurant assistant pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh to a charge of allegedly molesting his employer’s six-year-old daughter.

The accused entered his plea before Judge Haderiah Siri on Monday (June 30).

According to the charge, the father of five is accused of deliberately committing physical sexual abuse against the six-year-old girl at about 11.25am on June 21.

The charge was framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a prison term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.

It is understood that during the incident, the accused, who helps the victim’s father run a business in front of the house, entered the home on the pretext of getting a drink.

However, he allegedly locked the door, arousing the father’s suspicion, before he was shocked to see the act through a closed-circuit television (CCTV) recording on his mobile phone.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Azfar Mahmud offered bail at RM20,000, along with additional conditions that the accused must not disturb witnesses and must report to the nearest police station every month.

The accused, a divorcee who was unrepresented, appealed for a lower bail amount on the grounds that he only works as a restaurant assistant and has to support his five children and aged mother.

The court set the bail at RM9,000 with the additional conditions requested by the prosecution and fixed July 29 as the next mention date.