KOTA KINABALU, Dec 13 ― A politician, who was charged with four counts of molesting an Unduk Ngadau contestant, was ordered to enter his defence by a Magistrate’s Court here yesterday.
Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie made the order on Phillip Among @ Daniel Dell Fidelis, 53, after she ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
Phillip’s defence trial was fixed on February 19, 22 and 23, 2024.
The victim in this case was allegedly molested by Phillip on May 19, 2021 at the studio of a company at Asia City, inside a moving car on the way from dinner to an old office, at a staircase beside a photo studio here and inside an office at Metrotown.
Phillip was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code with allegedly using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person.
The indictment carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine or with whipping, or any two of the punishments upon conviction.
The prosecution stage trial commenced on April 12, 2022 and closed on September 7, 2023.
Eight witnesses were produced to testify against Phillip who was represented by counsel Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah and Azhier Farhan Arisin.
It was learnt that Phillip was a technical head for state-level Unduk Ngadau competition when the victim was one of the contestants.
He had claimed trial to the said charges on June 10, 2021.
It was reported that on October 31 Phillip was ordered by another Magistrate’s Court here to enter his defence for allegedly molesting a woman in a living room of a premises at Asia City at 11pm on April 17, 2021. ― Borneo Post
