By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Sept 12: A 35-year-old man was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and two strokes of the cane on a charge of sexually assaulting his nine-year-old stepdaughter in 2017.
Sessions Court Judge Jason Juga convicted the 35-year-old accused after a full trial and ordered him to carry out the sentence with effect from the date of arrest on Dec 18, 2019.
The prosecution had called six witnesses to testify.
The incident occurred in a house at Kampung Bunga Rampai, Batu Kitang, in 2017, where the accused was said to have committed the offence by inserting his finger into the victim’s private part.
He was charged under Section 377CA of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term between five and 30 years, and with whipping.
The accused pleaded for a lenient sentence as he suffers from a stroke and needs to look after his elderly parents.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurfadzlin Mahmad Zulhasnan pushed for a heavier sentence as this is a serious offence which traumatised the victim.
The victim’s mother lodged a police report after the victim told her what happened.
The accused was represented by counsel Christopher Bada. — DayakDaily
