By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Sept 9: A 21-year-old factory worker was sentenced to 13 years in prison and five strokes of the cane today after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old girl in her home.
The accused, who was unrepresented, entered his plea before Sessions Court Judge Iris Awen Jon.
He was charged under Section 376(2)(d) of the Penal Code, which carries a minimum 10-year sentence and a maximum of 30 years, alongside mandatory whipping.
The court heard that the man broke into the victim’s house in a village along Jalan Bako around 1am on Aug 31 and sexually assaulted the girl in her bedroom.
The crime was uncovered at approximately 9am when the victim’s 25-year-old foster sister checked the room, noticed an unusual shape under the blanket, and pulled it back to find the perpetrator lying beside the child.
Recognising him as a fellow villager, she alerted the police. The offender was arrested shortly after, with investigations revealing he had remained in the room for hours after the assault.
Court documents confirmed the victim was 12 years and eight months old at the time of the offence.
Urging the court to pass a heavy sentence, Deputy Public Prosecutor Chuah Kai Sheng emphasised the need for deterrence in such grave cases. — DayakDaily
