KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — A Form Five student was charged with 63 counts of sexual abuse and the possession of child pornography at the Batu Pahat magistrates court today.

According to Berita Harian, the student from a school in Sri Gading claimed trial to all charges, which involved allegedly forcing seven male juniors to expose themselves to him.

It was further reported that the boy committed the acts of non-physical sexual abuse in places such as toilets, prayer rooms, various schools, and homes in Batu Pahat, Kluang, and Tangkak.

All the incidents allegedly took place from December 2023 until the end of last month, involving male victims who were all minors.

In some instances, the boy is accused of forcing his victims to record themselves performing sex acts and to send these to him.

The victims said they had notified their school of the abuse to no avail.

The boy is alleged to have blackmailed his victims with publishing previous recordings, in order to coerce their compliance.

Of the charges, 62 were for non-physical sexual abuse under Section 15(a)(ii) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act, with each punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

The final charge of possessing child pornography under Section 10 of the same law is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

Magistrate Suhaila Shafi’uddin granted the accused bail at RM5,000 with a single surety.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Wahidah Mohd Sharip led the prosecution while lawyer Mohd Razak Shariff represented the boy.