By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, May 18: A 20-year-old man from Serian has been sentenced to five years in prison after admitting to the rape of a 14-year-old girl in 2023.
The Sessions Court delivered the penalty after the accused pleaded guilty to two charges under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code. That section allows for imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
Judge Musli Abdul Hamid handed down a five-year jail term for each charge, ordering the sentences to run concurrently. The judge chose not to impose caning, explaining that the offender was still a minor when the crimes took place.
Beyond the prison term, the court also ordered the young man to undergo rehabilitation counselling throughout his incarceration, followed by two years of police supervision after his release.
The offences occurred at a house in Serian in October and December 2023. Court facts revealed that the accused went further than the assaults, where he distributed obscene videos of himself and the victim through Telegram, school WhatsApp groups, and directly to friends.
This caused the girl and her family profound shame and emotional distress, eventually driving the victim to stop attending school.
Investigations also found that the accused frequently approached the girl at her home while her parents were away at work and harassed her at school. A police report was eventually filed, leading to his arrest.
During questioning, the young man admitted to having been in a romantic relationship with the victim since April 2023. The two attended the same school.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar handled the prosecution, while Inspector Nur Ain Wong Abdullah conducted the investigation. The accused was not represented by a lawyer. — DayakDaily
