Islamic school chief pleads not guilty to sexual abuse

Houston Chronicle
March 25, 2015

http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Islamic-school-chief-pleads-not-guilty-to-sexual-6158636.php

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (AP) — The head of a suburban Chicago Islamic school has pleaded not guilty to eight criminal counts alleging he sexually abused an employee.

Seventy-five-year-old Mohammad Abdullah Saleem entered the plea Wednesday before a Cook County judge. The founder of the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin was indicted on charges including aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery of a school employee and unlawful restraint.

If convicted, Saleem could face up to five years in prison. He's free on $250,000 bond.

The Arlington Heights Daily Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1EUpgLR ) Saleem's 22-year-old accuser has claimed he repeatedly hugged, touched and massaged her against her will in her school office.

Defense attorney Raymond Wigell said after the hearing that prosecutors "purportedly have DNA evidence gathered at the alleged scene," but that doesn't mean he's guilty.