Witness denies having a consensual relationship with Ebit Lew

Witness denies having a consensual relationship with Ebit Lew

Published: Sep 3, 2024 11:28 PM


The 40-year-old woman at the centre of a sexual harassment case against preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew denied having a consensual relationship with him at the Tenom Magistrate’s Court today.

The woman, who is the prosecution’s ninth witness, pointed out that if she really had a consensual relationship, she would have followed Lew’s wishes to view her body during a video call.

The complainant also told the court during the cross-examination by Lew’s (above) counsel Ram Singh that she rejected Lew’s request and recorded the video call.

She added that she had not intended to do so initially but did not regret doing it as the video turned out to be useful as evidence to secure justice over Lew’s sexual harassment of her.

Ram Singh: Why would you do that as from your evidence you recorded without Lew’s consent or knowledge?

Witness: I didn’t know at the time it was my instinct to record and that was the first time I recorded. If you ask me today, it was good that I recorded (the video).

Meanwhile, the 10th prosecution witness, police photographer Shahrul Sanudin, 38, told the court that he took 35 photographs of a house in Shah Alam on Aug 19, 2021 and two of a mobile phone.

In the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Analia Kamaruddin, the witness said that the photos included the front of the house, the house number, its electricity bill, the living room, bedhead, bolster, the bathroom and the front and back of a mobile phone.

The 11th prosecution witness, police photographer Husni Haris Ramli@Fauzi, 34, testified that he also took four photos of the front and back of the mobile phone with the SIM and memory cards.

Husni said he transferred the photos to two compact discs with notes relating to the case report in Tenom.

Lew, 38, is facing 11 charges of outraging the modesty of the 40-year-old woman by sending lewd messages and photographs to the victim via WhatsApp between March and June 2021.

He was charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code and may face five year’s jail or a fine or both.

The trial will resume tomorrow.

- Bernama