By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Dec 14: A 35-year-old father has claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to three charges of rape and sexual assault against an underage girl.
The accused, who has a five-year-old child, pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to him before Judge Mohd Taufik Mohd @ Mohd Yusoff.
Judge Taufik fixed Jan 19, 2023 for the case management and allowed the accused to be released on cash bail of RM6,000 and with two local sureties.
On the first and second charge, the man allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl at a park in Petra Jaya here about 12pm in early November and at about 5pm on Nov 10.
He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
He also faced a third charge of sexually assaulting the same victim at a village in Petra Jaya about 10pm on Nov 10.
The sexual assault charge was framed under Section 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and punishable under Section 14 of the same Act, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Danial Mohamad Ali prosecuted, while the accused was not represented by counsel. — DayakDaily
