MUAR: The school bus driver, detained at a correctional centre since last Tuesday for failing to post bail on sexual assault charges, was released today.
The 24-year-old accused was released after posting the RM40,000 bail at the Muar Court Complex this morning.
The bail payment was carried out by his lawyer, Datuk Ahmad Zaharil Muhaiyar, who took on the case pro bono, after the man had spent more than a week at the correctional centre.
The bail involved three charges, including under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, Section 15(a)(iii) of the same act, and Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Despite his release, the man is still subject to additional conditions set by the Muar and Batu Pahat Sessions Court.
These conditions include reporting to the nearest police station at the beginning of each month, refraining from interfering with or communicating with the victim or prosecution witnesses as well as surrendering his passport to the court.
Earlier, the man, accompanied by the police, arrived at the court complex at 8.30am for the bail proceedings. He was released on bail, with the necessary paperwork signed by his family members at 11.50 am.
After the process concluded, he was seen hugging his mother and other family members, who were in tears.
Meanwhile, his father, who was met after the bail process, expressed relief that the procedure had gone smoothly.
It was reported last week that the school bus driver who uploaded a video of a primary school student and referred to her as his "crush", claimed trial at the Sessions Court in Johor Baru to two counts of sexual assault.
According to the first charge, the accused is charged with sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl, who is also his niece.
As for the second charge, the accused is charged with observing a nine-year-old girl repeatedly for sexual purposes with this incident also occurring at the same time and place.