By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, May 22: A 21-year-old local smartphone salesman was sentenced to 10 years in prison and six strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here after pleading guilty to statutory rape involving his 15-year-old girlfriend.
The accused, who was unrepresented, entered the plea before Judge Musli Ab Hamid.
He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code for committing the offence on the floor of a bedroom in a serviced apartment and suite along Green Road between 2am and 3am on May 11, 2026.
The section carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
In addition to the jail time and caning, the court ordered the accused to undergo mandatory rehabilitation counselling throughout his incarceration, as stipulated under Section 26(1) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOACA) 2017.
Judge Musli also directed that the accused be placed under police supervision for two years after completing his sentence, in accordance with Section 27(1) of the same Act.
According to the facts of the case, the victim’s mother uncovered the incident when she entered her bedroom to wake her up for school.
She was shocked to find the accused hiding unclothed behind the bedroom door. Suspecting that her daughter had been violated, she immediately lodged a police report, which led to Bong’s arrest.
Investigations conducted by Investigating Officer Inspector Nur Ain Wong Abdullah revealed that the accused had sneaked into the residence at around 9pm the previous evening (May 10) after the victim opened the door for him.
The police established that the couple had known each other since August 2024, before officially entering a romantic relationship on April 3 this year.
Statements from both parties were consistent. The teenager confirmed that they had engaged in consensual sexual intercourse that morning and that the accused had used a condom to prevent pregnancy.
She also stated that she had never been sexually active with any other individual.
A subsequent medical examination at a hospital corroborated their statements. — DayakDaily
