Court of Appeal overturns High Court acquittal, health officer ordered to enter defence on seven unnatural sex charges

On October 2, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that had acquitted a health officer of seven charges of unnatural sexual acts with a woman. The three-judge panel, led by Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, allowed the prosecution to appeal against the December 10, 2025 decision of the Kota Bharu High Court, which had cleared Mohd Faris Helmi Ab Rahim, 38, of all charges under Section 377B of the Penal Code.

The bench ruled that the High Court had erred in upholding the Sessions Court's decision, and that a prima facie case had been established against the respondent. The case was therefore remitted to the Pasir Mas Sessions Court for the respondent to enter his defence, with a management date set for October 15, 2026. The charges against Mohd Faris Helmi alleged that he had engaged in unnatural sexual acts with a 34-year-old woman at a car in front of a religious secondary school in Pasir Mas and at a petrol station in Salor between July 29, 2019 and September 18, 2021.

The maximum sentence for such offences under Section 377B of the Penal Code is 20 years in jail and whipping upon conviction.