Safiey Illias granted discharge not amounting to acquittal of four sexual charges

KUALA LUMPUR: Cosmetics entrepreneur Safiey Ilias (pic) was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on Wednesday (Aug 16) by the Ampang Sessions Court here of the four charges of committing sexual offences against two male teenagers two years ago.

Judge Norhazani Hamzah made the order after Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurfadzlin Mahmad Zulhasnan applied for Safiey, 29, whose real name was Mohd Safiuddin Ilias, to be granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal of all four counts.

“The case has been dismissed. The accused is granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal from all the charges and bail is returned,” Norhazani said.

Earlier, Nurfadzlin said the prosecution made the application on the grounds that the accused would be charged again in Pahang and Johor as the victims, who were also witnesses in the case, were residing in those two states respectively.

“If the trial is to proceed in this court, it will inconvenience the victims as they will have to travel back and forth,” Nurfadzlin said.

Lawyer, Harjeet Singh Sidhu, representing Safiey, had also urged the court to discharge and acquit his client of the four charges, saying that the case had been going on for too long.

The court on Wednesday was supposed to hear Safiey’s preliminary objection against two of the four charges he was facing.

Prior to this, the court had set the trial dates for Sept 4, 5 and 11, and Oct 2.

Safiey was charged with two counts of sexually communicating with two victims through his Instagram account at his residence in Bandar Baru Bangi at 9am on June 9, 2021.

The ‘Syinta Gila’ singer also faced two counts of non-physical sexual assault against the victims at the same location, time and date.

The charges were framed under Section 11(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carried a maximum prison sentence of three years, and Section 15 (a)(i), which carried a maximum prison sentence of 10 years or a fine of up to RM20,000 or both upon conviction. – Bernama