BACHOK: Police arrested a chicken trader, early this morning, on suspicion of having sexually assaulting a male student in Tawang, here.

The 32-year-old man was arrested at his home at about 1am, after the 16-year-old victim lodged a police report yesterday afternoon.

Bachok District Police Chief, Deputy Superintendent Mohamad Ismail Jamaluddin, said the suspect was accused of committing indecent acts against the victim in a car in front of a restaurant in Tawang, on June 26.

"The victim who was sent home was later said to have told the incident to his mother but did not lodge a police report as he did not want to prolong the case.

"However, they came forward to lodge a police report, yesterday, after the suspect was allegedly still harassing the victim.

"The suspect is also said to have threatened to file a suit against the victim's family, claiming that the victim had defamed him," he said in a statement, today.

Mohamad Ismail said the victim is said to have known the suspect who has been single since 2019

"Since November last year, the suspect allegedly expressed his intention to make the victim an adopted child and to invite the teenager to do business with him," he said.

Following the arrest, he said, the suspect was remanded for a week starting today until November 27, and the case was investigated under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017.