MELAKA: A school headmaster has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old male student in the school toilet and his office since last June.
Melaka Police Chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar confirmed the 58-year-old suspect was detained on Friday by officers from the D11 branch of the Melaka Contingent Police Headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Department.
The arrest took place around 9 pm following a police report lodged by the victim’s mother.
“Police have confirmed receiving a report, and the suspect is being investigated under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017,“ Dzulkhairi said in a statement.
The suspect tested negative for drugs in a urine screening test.
He was detained for 24 hours before being released on police bail.
The case came to light after the victim confided in his mother about the alleged abuse.
The mother then accompanied her son to file a report at the Melaka Tengah Police Station.
A source revealed the victim claimed the most recent incident occurred on July 29 around 8 am in the school toilet.
The victim alleged the headmaster entered the toilet, hugged him, and touched his buttocks.
The boy also reported a similar incident in June when he was called to the headmaster’s office to help attach clips to certificates.
The victim did not report the earlier incident out of fear of being scolded by his mother.
Police investigations are ongoing. – Bernama