Man jailed, fined for sexual offences against adopted daughter

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MIRI: The Sessions Court here yesterday sentenced a man to a total of 13 years in jail and a RM1,000 fine in default three months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to molesting and outraging the modesty of his adopted daughter.

Judge Steve Ritikos convicted the 56-year-old from Desa Senadin under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 for touching any part of the body of a child for sexual purposes.

The Section provides for up to 20 years in jail and caning.

The man physically molested his adopted daughter, who was then 13 years and 10 months old, by touching her inappropriately between 1pm and 7pm, between Nov 1 and Nov 30, 2017 at his house in Desa Senadin.

For the first charge, the man was sentenced to nine years’ jail.

He was also charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code for assault or use of criminal force to a person with intent to outrage modesty, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years, or a fine, or caning, or any two of the punishments.

For this second charge, the accused outraged the modesty of the girl by fondling her breast and private part.

The offence was committed between 1pm and 7pm between March 1 and 31 this year at the same house.

For the second offence, the man was sentenced to four years’ jail and fined RM1,000 in default three months’ jail.

According to the facts of the case, on July 25 at 10.30pm, the victim left the house to seek shelter with a friend as she was too traumatised by her adoptive father’s acts.

She then filed a police report at Miri Central Police Station on July 28, where she revealed the abuse had been going on since she was nine years old.

Acting on information given, at 4.35pm on July 28, the police arrested the accused at his house.

In his caution statement to the police, the accused admitted committing the offences.

DPP Aftar Mariz prosecuted.