Three GISB sect members charged in Johor with human trafficking, sexual assault
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The three accused, all staff of a GISB-owned resort in Kota Tinggi, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KOTA TINGGI, Johor - Three Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings members were charged at the Kota Tinggi Sessions Court on Oct 13 with human trafficking and sexual assault offences.
Mahmad Hamal Tukiman, 57, and Rabiahtul Adawiyah Md Shah, 31 – managers of a GISB-owned resort in Kota Tinggi – were charged with four counts of human trafficking involving four individuals aged between 30 and 57.
Muhammad Ansarullah Tukino, 20, a worker at the resort, was charged with two counts of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy.
All three accused pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them before Judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan on Oct 13.
According to the charge sheets, Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah and three other suspects who are still at large – Afizah Arifin, Mohamad Suhaimi Mohd Sani and Norafiratul Abidah Ismail – trafficked three women and a man for the purpose of exploitation by forced labour through threats.
The act was allegedly committed between August 2023 and Oct 1, 2024, at Ikhwan Resort, Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar.
The act is an offence under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act that was read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
Muhammad Ansarullah was charged with committing sexual assault on a 16-year-old boy by touching the victim’s thigh and private parts.
He allegedly did so on June 1 and June 3 at 10pm, at the surau of the Ikhwan Resort, Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar.
The act is an offence under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
The case is prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Khairuddin Khalid, with the two managers represented by lawyer Fathul Anwar Muin and Muhammad Ansarullah represented by lawyer Muhammad Zaim Rusli.
The DPP proposed for bail to be set at RM50,000 (S$15,200) for Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah for each charge and RM40,000 for Muhammad Ansarullah for each charge.
They are also required to hand over their passport to the court, report to the nearest police station once every month and not contact any of the victims in the case.
The court then allowed bail at RM10,000 for Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah for each charge, and RM10,000 for Muhammad Ansarullah for the two charges, along with the additional terms.
GISB came under scrutiny in Malaysia following shocking allegations of child abuse and sodomy,
On Sept 21, a total of 155 suspects linked to GISB, including 77 women, were detained in an operation codenamed Ops Global in all Peninsular Malaysia states, said Malaysian police chief Razarudin Husain.
He said 82 premises were raided, including homes and business premises with links to the group.
GISB on its website acknowledges the late Ashaari Muhammad as its founder. He was the preacher who founded the Al-Arqam cult, which was banned in 1994 for spreading “deviationist Islamic teachings”. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
