Elgin cleric pleads not guilty to new sex abuse charges
The founder of an Elgin school entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to new charges that he sexually abused a student between 2001 and 2003 when she was between 14 and 16 years old.
Mohammad Abdullah Saleem, founder of the Institute of Islamic Education, a school for children in sixth through 12th grades, is already facing charges he sexually abused a 22-year-old employee at the school.
The former student says Saleem, 76, abused her 15 to 20 times. She moved out of state in 2003, but came forward with the allegations several months ago when she learned authorities were investigating charges that Saleem abused the female office worker between October 2013 and April 2014, prosecutors said.
Illinois law allows for the prosecution of sexual abuse cases involving minor accusers to begin within 20 years of the accuser's 18th birthday.
Saleem next appears in court Feb. 10.