MARANG, Dec 19 — A principal from a prominent secondary school in the district was charged in the Magistrate's Court today with two counts of making obscene and non-physical sexual communications with a female student five months ago.

According to Kosmo!, the accused, Mohd Tajudin Mokhtar, 59, pleaded not guilty after both charges were read out before Magistrate Zur Azureen Zainalkefli.

According to the first charge, the accused is alleged to have made sexual communications with a 16-year-old girl, five months ago.

Mohd Tajudin is charged under Section 11(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for a maximum imprisonment sentence of three years.

In the second charge, the accused is alleged to have shown sexually explicit images of women to the victim via his mobile phone at the same location, time, and date.

He is charged under Section 15(e) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 10 years, a maximum fine of RM20,000, or both, upon conviction.

The daily reported that the court has allowed Mohd Tajudin to be released on bail of RM10,000 with two sureties.

The prosecution is being handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Maisarah Abd. Razak, while Mohd. Tajudin is represented by Abdul Haiyyi Salim.