KOTA KINABALU: He had caressed her back while saying she had smooth skin with no pimples.

       A beauty pageant contestant said this to the court at the trial of Sabah STAR leader Philip Among, who faces four counts of molesting on Tuesday (April 12).

       The Unduk Ngadau contestant, who was the first witness and victim, testified that Among had molested her four times on the same day.

       She testified before Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie that the first time was when he had caressed her back as she was wearing a bareback dress on a staircase while both of them were going up to a studio for a photoshoot.

       Among is accused of molesting the woman around 2pm, 3.30pm, 9.45pm and 10pm on May 19, 2021.

       He is accused of having committed the offences at a staircase inside a studio; in a moving vehicle on the way to dinner and in an office respectively.

       He was the technical head for the 2021 Unduk Ngadau pageant.

       Among had claimed trial for the offences on June 10, 2021.

       The offence under Section 354 of the Penal Code for criminal force to outrage the modesty provides a jail term of up to 10 years, or a fine or whipping or any two of such punishments upon conviction.