PETALING JAYA – Fifty-three-year-old ex-dodgeball coach Terence Ee Soon Lee pleaded not guilty to violating the decency of his two underage students, the magistrate court here heard today.
Ee is accused of violating the decency of two boys, both aged 12 at the time of the offence.
The charges were read in front of magistrate Zhafran Rahim Hamzah.
According to one of the charges, Ee was accused of violating one of the boys at a vernacular school in Damansara between 2pm and 2.30pm in November last year.
He was also accused of committing the same offence against another boy, at the same place between November and December last year.
If found guilty, he faces a maximum of five years in jail, a fine, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Maryam Jamilah Md Kamal suggested a RM6,000 bail for each offence and ordered him to not harass the victims and other prosecution witnesses.
She also informed the court that the accused was the victim’s coach at the time of the offence.
However, lawyer Datuk Thrichelvam Rasiah, who represented Ee today, pleaded for RM3,000 bail for each offence as the accused is currently not working after his service was terminated last year.
“My client had only known yesterday that he would have to be in court (here) today to face charges. He could not raise a huge amount of money in such a short time.
“My client is also not working, as he has lost his business, and currently he is providing for his family, including his young children.”
The magistrate then ordered RM3,500 bail for both charges and fixed November 29 for mention. – October 6, 2023