44-year-old man charged with attempted rape

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Mohammad (left) escorted to the court to face the charge.

SIBU: A 44-year-old man was brought to a Magistrate’s Court here yesterday to face a charge of attempted rape of a 4-year-old girl.

Mohammad Sahari faces up to 10 years’ jail under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which also provides for a possible fine or whipping, or with any two of such punishments. No plea was taken. The court ordered that Mohammad be sent to Sentosa Hospital in Kuching for a mental checkup. His case will be up for further mention on June 22.

According to the charge, Mohammad attempted to rape a 4-year-old girl at 8.15pm on May 17 behind a shop in Sibu Jaya. According to newspaper reports, he was arrested at a coffee shop within hours after the girl’s mother lodged a report at Sibu Jaya police station. Members of the public were said to have spotted the suspect with his pants down and the girl naked at a back alley behind a shop house in Sibu Jaya.

The suspect fled when he realised people were watching. The girl then related the incident to her mother who was working at a coffee shop nearby.

The mother lodged a police report the same day while the girl was later taken to Sibu Hospital for medical examination. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested the suspect at a coffee shop not far from the coffee shop where the girl’s mother worked.