Seven years imprisonment and flogging for sexual abuse of minors “lenient”, appeal court rules for former PE teacher in Dungun school case in 2022

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 23 — The Court of Appeal today upheld a seven-year jail sentence and a caning sentence for a former physical education teacher convicted of sexually abusing two pupils at a primary school in Dungun, Terengganu, five years ago.

Judge Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim dismissed Tuan Sembok Tuan Puteh's final appeal, saying the sentences for all three charges, effective from November 11, 2022, were not excessive and did not warrant court intervention.

“The court finds the conviction on all three counts to be justified and the appellant is fortunate that the deputy public prosecutor did not appeal the verdict.

“The sentence of the Kuala Terengganu District Court is lenient and has been upheld by the Supreme Court. Therefore, the court dismisses the plaintiff's appeal and upholds both the conviction and the sentence,” the judge said when announcing the unanimous decision.

Also present were Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Supreme Court Judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin.