Bangladeshi medical student’s trial for child sexual abuse material postponed for prosecution review, resumes Nov 19

Malay Mail
Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — The trial of a Bangladeshi medical student facing 13 charges related to the possession and production of child child sexual abuse material has been adjourned after the prosecution requested time to review recordings of past proceedings.

The delay came as prosecutors prepared to resume their examination of a US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) officer, according to a report published today in Free Malaysia Today.

Sessions Court Judge Datin Surita Budin allowed Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Rafidah Zainuddin’s request for a short postponement, vacating hearings scheduled for today and tomorrow.

The trial will now continue on November 19.

At the previous hearing, FBI Special Agent Caitlin Mclister provided in-camera testimony.

Today’s session, however, was open to the public.

Seven other witnesses have testified since the start of the trial in March.

Lawyer Harvindar Singh, representing the accused, Zobaidul Amin, 26, informed Judge Surita that he would be filing representations with the Attorney General’s Chambers.

Zobaidul, a student at a private university in Kuala Lumpur, was arrested in Seremban in September 2022 following a joint investigation with the FBI.

He faces eight counts of producing child sexual abuse material in video form and photos via instant messaging app Snapchat, with each charge carrying a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison and whipping under Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

He also faces five counts of possessing 927 images and videos of child sexual abuse material stored on his phone and external devices.

Each possession charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to RM10,000, or both upon conviction.

The alleged offences were committed between October 26, 2021, and September 19 this year.

Zobaidul was granted bail set at RM96,000.

On September 22, 2022, federal police secretary Noorsiah Saaduddin said that Zobaidul allegedly used social media to communicate with his victims, all minors from the US, and coerced them into providing explicit materials.