BUKIT MERTAJAM (Bernama): The police have arrested a pastor to assist with investigations into the molestation of a woman who had gone to seek treatment at his apartment in Perai here recently.

The 59-year-old man was arrested on Dec 18 after the 24-year-old woman lodged a police report.

He will be charged in a Butterworth Court on Friday (Dec 28).

Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief ACP Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid said the incident was believed to have taken place when the victim who worked as a clerk had gone to the pastor's house to seek treatment for her joints on Dec 1.

The pastor is also the adoptive father of the victim's friend, he said.

He added that in the 2pm incident, the man had massaged the victim's feet in his living room before he allegedly undressed her saying that he needed to massage her body so that there would be better blood flow.

"The pastor had massaged the entire body of the victim before putting his finger into her genitals claiming it was the focal point of the disease," said Nik Ros Azhan.

He added that the man had told the victim not to let others know of the incident.

"The man had allegedly touched the victim's body on her shoulders, chest and back whenever the victim visited her friend at the apartment. The suspect had also on many instances allegedly said that he wanted to rape the victim,” said Nik Ros Azhan.

He said the police were also investigating a report lodged by another 24-year-old woman who claimed that the man had molested her.

He said the police had handed over the investigation papers to the prosecution adding that any more victims who had been molested by the priest could come forward to lodge police reports. - Bernama