KUCHING, 22 Feb 2018:
A general worker was sentenced to 80 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the rotan by the Sessions Court here yesterday, when he pleaded guilty to four counts of raping his daughter about three years ago.
Judge Dayang Ellyn Narissa Abang Ahmad meted out the sentence on the 40-year-old when he admitted to the charges under Section 376 (B) of the Penal Code – which carries a jail term of not less than 10 years and a maximum of 30 years, and the imposition of six strokes for each charge.
The man merely nodded when the verdict was read out to him and the judge ruled the sentences be carried out consecutively.
Based on the facts of the case, the general worker committed the heinous act on his daughter four times in the last three years – beginning March 2015 when the victim was 14.
The offences occurred at a house in Padawan, about 65km from here.
Following the rape, the man had taken the victim to a pharmacy and forced her to take pregnancy-prevention pills.
Unable to bear the situation any longer, the victim informed her mother via the WeChat app. Following a police report lodged by the mother, the man was arrested.
In mitigation, the general worker pleaded for a reduced sentence on the grounds he had to take care of three daughters and a son, including the victim.
However, deputy public prosecutor Haresh Prakash told the court to impose an appropriate sentence on the man as he had caused emotional trauma to the victim. “Lock him away and just throw away the key.”
Meanwhile in IPOH, a husband and wife couple were each sentenced to 15 months’ jail and fined RM28,000 by the sessions court here after they pleaded guilty to 28 counts of exploiting 19 children and teenagers into becoming beggars since 2016.
Muslim Ab Karim, 67, and Zaleha Mohamad, 55 – who were detained on May 7 last year – were also ordered to serve one month’s jail on each count if they failed to pay the fine.
Each of them was also ordered by judge Murtazadi Amran to do 100 hours of community service.
In his judgment, Murtazadi said the sentences were meted out on the two accused to serve as a lesson to other offenders that the court would not hesitate to impose a more deterrent sentence.
“The amendment of law relating children in Parliament demonstrates the seriousness of this offence and to protect children from being exploited.”
According to the charge sheet, the chairman and treasurer of Amal Bestari Training Centre – based in Yan, Kedah – were jointly charged with having the intention to exploit seven boys and 12 girls aged between 11 and 17 to become beggars by selling herbal gel and calendars.
They were alleged to have committed the offences around Persiaran Greentown 6 area, Greentown Business Centre at 8pm on 7 Oct 2016; around CIMB Bank Taiping branch area, Jalan Panggung Wayang, and at a Maybank branch in Jalan Medan Saujana 1, Kamunting, Taiping, at 1.45am on Oct 8 the same year.
The duo also committed the offence in front of the CIMB Bank Bandar Raub Perdana branch, Raub, Pahang at 8.30pm and in front of Kemaman Kopitiam, Kuantan, Pahang, at 11pm on 9 Nov 2016, in front of a Bank Islam branch in Jalan Mahmood, Kota Bharu, Kelantan between 11.35pm on 13 March 2017 and 12.24am the following day.
The charge under Section 32(a) of the Child Act 2001 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code carries a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both, or to do community service upon conviction.
– Bernama