SEBERANG PERAI, Dec 18 — A deaf and mute Korean pastor was charged with two counts of outraging the modesty of two men, at the magistrates court here this morning.

The charges against Jee Jon-hoon, 54, were not read out to him in court due to his disabilities.

His counsel, G.Shanmugam, requested that Butterworth court appoint an international sign language interpreter as Jee could not understand the Malaysian sign language.

No plea was recorded as a result.

Magistrate M. Kalaiarasi set January 18 for the charges to be interpreted to Jee by an international sign language interpreter.

She also allowed Jee bail of RM5,000 in two sureties for each charge.

Jee was charged with using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a 28-year-old man seven years ago at the former’s apartment in Kampung Paya, Butterworth.

The pastor allegedly committed the offence by groping the victim’s private parts, hugging and kissing him at about 12.20am in October 2013.

In the second charge, Jee allegedly used criminal force to outrage the modesty of a 27-year-old man by groping the victim’s body and kissing him at his apartment.

He allegedly committed the offence between 11pm and 1am in July 2017 when the victim was 24 years old.

Both charges were proffered under Section 354 of the Penal Code for using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person and were each punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine, whipping, or any two combinations upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Azlin Zeti Zainol Abidin prosecuted the case.