By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Feb 3: A 41-year-old man was sentenced today by the Sessions Court here to a total of 34 years in prison and 24 strokes of the cane after being convicted of sexually abusing his teenage stepdaughter on two separate occasions.
Sessions Court Judge Musli Abdul Hamid handed down the sentence after finding the accused guilty of two counts under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act. The court ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt.
For each charge, the accused was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and 10 strokes of the cane under Section 14(a). He was also sentenced to an additional two years in jail and two strokes of the cane for each count under Section 16(1), as he held a position of trust over the victim. The court ordered all sentences to run consecutively.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court directed that the accused undergo rehabilitative counselling throughout his imprisonment and for two years following his release.
Under the law, Section 14 provides for a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping, while Section 16 allows for enhanced punishment of up to five additional years’ jail and at least two strokes of the cane when the offender holds a position of trust or authority over a child.
The charges stemmed from two incidents at a house in Petra Jaya, Jalan Sultan Tengah with one in the early hours of December 2022 and the other on the morning of Aug 5, 2023. The victim was 15 years old at the time. The accused had been legally married to her mother since Dec 17, 2012.
According to the prosecution, the first incident occurred when the girl was in her bedroom and was summoned to her stepfather’s room, which was adjacent to hers. He allegedly assaulted her after locking the door and threatened her to keep silent.
In April 2023, a teacher noticed signs of emotional distress and injuries on the victim and spoke to her privately. The teenager disclosed the abuse but said she was too afraid to inform her mother, fearing she would not be believed.
The abuse recurred in August 2023. When the teacher observed that the victim appeared distressed again, she arranged a meeting with the girl’s mother. The mother initially rejected the allegation, and the accused denied the claims.
Following the confrontation, the teenager left the family home and sought shelter with her grandmother. When questioned by an aunt about her sudden move, the victim revealed the abuse. The aunt subsequently brought her to Sarawak General Hospital for a medical examination and lodged a police report, leading to the accused’s arrest.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar represented the prosecution, while the accused was defended by Counsel Arthur Liang Dawat. — DayakDaily
