Ebit Lew pleads not guilty to 11 charges on sexual harassment

TENOM: A well-known independent preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew, or better known as Ebit Lew, was charged in the Magistrate's Court here today on 11 charges in connection with sexual harassment.

Ebit Irawan, 38, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges which were read to him before Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani.

He was charged with sending obscene pictures and words with the intention of insulting a person's modesty through a Whatsapp application in the Tenom district between March and June last year.

All the charges were framed under Section 509 of the Penal Code which provides a jail term of up to five years, or a fine, or both, if convicted.

Nur Asyraf set bail at RM1,000 for each charge with two sureties and set April 20 for mention.

Ebit Irawan posted the bail.

Sabah Prosecution director Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad prosecuted, while the preacher was represented by lawyer Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Abdul Jalil Hassan, told a media conference today, that on Aug 7 last year, the police received three reports against the preacher for alleged sexual harassment.

He advised the public against making any speculation and provocation on the case and for those with information, to come forward to facilitate police investigation.

-- BERNAMA