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By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, June 14: The Sessions Court here discharged and acquitted a man of five charges of sexually assaulting three of his stepchildren.
He was charged in three Sessions Court cases today, presided over by Sessions Court Judge Musli Abdul Hamid, Judge Afidah Abdul Rahman, and Judge Maris Agan. The judges found that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the accused. Consequently, all three judges discharged and acquitted him of the five charges.
According to three of the charges, the accused was charged with sexually assaulting two of his stepdaughters, aged 17 and 16, at a house in Matang in 2017 and 2019, as well as in a sedan car in February 2023. He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction, as provided in Section 16 of the same Act.
As for the other two charges, he was charged with sexually assaulting his 12-year-old stepchild by touching their private parts at a house on Jalan Datuk Ajibah Abol and inside a sedan car parked near the Sarawak River in February of this year. He was charged under Section 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which, in conjunction with Section 14 and Section 16 of the same Act, carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohammad Fauzan Zamri appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by Counsels Steven Beti and Gerald Empaling Donald. — DayakDaily
