KUCHING, July 31 -- A male counselling teacher pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here yesterday to five counts of committing physical sexual abuse against a 16-year-old male student at a secondary school in Serian.

The 50-year-old accused, who was represented by a lawyer, entered the plea in separate courtrooms before judges Iris Awen Jon and Zuraidah Zakaria.

He was charged with three counts of making the victim touch his own genitals in August, September and November 2023 in the prefects' room at the school, and two counts of touching the victim's genitals in September and November 2023 in the same room.

The charges against him were framed under Section 14(c) and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, ...