L. Prem Anand is pictured at the George Town Magistrate's Court on November 12, 2019. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 12 — A former city councillor from DAP was today sentenced to be jailed three years and fined RM7,000 by a Magistrate’s Court here after being convicted of molesting a college student two years ago.

L. Prem Anand, 52, was found guilty of using criminal force under Section 354 of the Penal Code to outrage the modesty of the woman who was 21 years old at that time outside an entertainment outlet in Beach Street at around 11.30pm on July 6, 2017.

The victim cannot be named to protect her privacy.

Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap said the prosecution had presented a prima facie case against the accused.

“After taking into account the merits of the case presented by the prosecution, I find you guilty of the offence and sentence you to three years’ jail commencing from the date you were charged,” she said when delivering her verdict.

She also ordered Prem Anand to pay a fine of RM7,000.

But lawyer for the accused, E. Gnasegaran sought a stay of execution pending an appeal, to which the magistrate allowed with bail set at RM30,000 with two sureties.

The magistrate ordered Prem Anand to surrender his passport to court and present himself to the nearest police station once a month pending his appeal to the higher courts

Prem Anand is a former aide to a DAP assemblyman and was city councillor from 2008 to 2013. Malay Mail understands he is still an ordinary DAP member.

During the case hearing, the court was told that Prem Anand had exposed his genitals to the woman and asked her to use her hand or mouth on them but that she refused; instead he masturbated and ejaculated on her.

The woman also testified that Prem Anand had offered her between RM500 and RM700 to spend a night with him, but she turned him down.

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