KOTA KINABALU: An 18-year-old will spend the rest of his teenage life in reform school for raping a primary schoolgirl.
Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh ordered the accused to be sent to the Henry Gurney School until the age of 21 after he yesterday pleaded guilty to raping the girl.
The indictment was framed under Section 376 (2) (e) of the Penal Code which carries up to 30 years’ jail and whipping, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nartiah F Mirchelle Sambatan told the court that the juvenile delinquent lured the victim out of her house before raping her on the passenger seat of a Myvi car near the Papar District Council office between 2pm and 3pm on April 27.
He then sent the victim, who was 11 years and seven months old at that time, back home.
The victim then confided to her mother on what had transpired and the latter went to lodge a police report.
A hospital examination revealed two old tears in the victim’s hymen.
In mitigating for a lenient sentence, counsel Edward Paul pointed out that his client’s admittance to the offence was an indication that the accused needed to be rehabilitated.
He told the court that his client was remorseful, had cooperated fully with the police and attended the court proceedings diligently.
Edward also said that as a result of his wrong-doing, his client would have to forgo his intentions to further his studies until he has completed his sentence.
The prosecution, however, pressed for a deterrent sentence on the grounds that the offence was rampant and serious.
Nartiah highlighted the victim’s age at the time of occurrence and stressed that the latter had been traumatized by the incident.
In the same court, Lee Swee Lian’s fate will be decided on August 25 for attempting to lure a 30-year-old woman into prostitution.
Azhaniz set the date pending the completion of the facts of case for the 41-year-old accused who admitted to committing the offence at a petrol station at 9.50pm on May 26.
The charge, under Section 372A of the Penal Code, carries a penalty of up to 15 years’ imprisonment and whipping, or both, upon conviction.