KUCHING (July 1): A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today to seven charges of raping a 13-year-old female victim.
The accused made the plea after the charges framed under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code were read to him by a court interpreter.
If convicted, the accused could be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years, and shall be liable to whipping
After the plea was recorded, Judge Jason juga set the case to be further mentioned on August 5 for the hearing of the accused’s social report.
The accused, from Kota Samarahan, was also given bail of RM10,000 with RM5,000 deposited along with two local sureties.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly raped the victim between June 16 and June 22 (6pm and 9pm) at the accused’s residence in Batu Kawah here.
Based on previous news articles, the victim’s mother lodged a police report after discovering that the victim failed to return home on June 15.
It was said that the victim went to her school to collect her books. Based on the school’s CCTV, the victim did went to the school around 2.45pm but did not collect her books as claimed.
The victim was also said to be living at the accused’s house during her disappearance.
She was found by a member of the public at a hypermarket in Samariang on June 23 and was subsequently handed over to the police for further action.
The victim was also brought to the Sarawak General Hospital for a medical examination on the same day.
The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurfadzlin Mahmad Zulhasnan while the accused was not represented by a lawyer.