A former civil servant must serve an 18-month sentence after the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction for molesting a 19-year-old woman in 2011.

PUTRAJAYA: A former civil servant must immediately serve an 18-month jail sentence after the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction for molesting a woman 15 years ago.

The three-member bench unanimously dismissed the appeal by 57-year-old Zolkapli Long @ Mohamad. Justice K. Muniandy, reading the decision, stated the High Court had not erred in its conviction.

He noted the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The court subsequently issued a warrant of committal for Zolkapli to begin his sentence.

Zolkapli had been granted a stay of execution and RM20,000 bail pending his appeal’s outcome. The magistrate’s court had initially acquitted and discharged him of the charge in 2022.

The High Court overturned that acquittal in 2023, finding him guilty and imposing the 18-month sentence. The offence involved molesting a 19-year-old client at his office in Langkawi on October 20, 2011.

He was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code for assault with intent to outrage modesty. Lawyer Fozi Addhwa Mohammad Fozi represented Zolkapli’s legal team at the appeal.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Atiqah Abdul Karim@Husaini appeared for the prosecution. The bench also comprised Datuk Supang Lian and Datuk Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz.

 The Sun Malaysia