KUCHING: A 19-year-old student pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today (Apr 10) to charges of possessing and participating in child pornography business using his smartphone.
The accused entered his plea before Judge Iris Awen Jon.
He was charged with two offences under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (SOACA).
For the first charge under Section 8 of SOACA, he was accused of participating in a business involving child pornography on April 7. The offence carries a penalty of up to 15 years’ imprisonment and whipping of up to three strokes upon conviction.
The second charge, under Section 10 of SOACA, relates to possession of child pornography in a smartphone, which occurred on the same day. The offence is punishable with imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both.
Following the guilty plea, Deputy Public Prosecutor, Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar, applied for a date to obtain a social report from the Social Welfare Department (SWD), noting that the accused is a youthful offender.
The court fixed May 12 for the submission of the social report.
No bail was granted, and the accused was ordered to be remanded pending disposal of the case. He was unrepresented.
Earlier, police arrested the accused in Bau after discovering 936 obscene videos and 4,035 pornographic images on his mobile phone.
Bau District Police Chief, Supt Mohd Haide A. Rahman, said the suspect was detained at a house in Kampung Seromah during a special operation dubbed ‘Ops Cyber Guardian’, conducted by the Sexual, Women and Children Investigation Division (D11) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters.
“Preliminary checks on the suspect’s mobile phone and laptop uncovered hundreds of videos and thousands of pornographic images,” he said in a statement.
He added that the suspect admitted to selling the materials as a source of income.
Police believe the accused used electronic devices and social media platforms to access, store and distribute the illicit materials.
