The foreman is escorted by a policeman at the courthouse today.
KUCHING (Aug 26): A foreman claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to sexually assaulting his daughter by touching her private part.
The 40-year-old pleaded not guilty before Judge Afidah Abdul Rahman to a charge framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 read together with Section 16 of the same Act.
Section 14(a) provides for an imprisonment term of up to 20 years and caning, while Section 16 of the same Act carries a jail term of up to five years and up to two strokes of the rotan upon conviction.
Based on the charge, the accused allegedly committed the offence against his then 12-year-old daughter at a flat in Matang.
It is understood that the girl had lodged a police report herself out of fear.
Afidah released the accused on RM5,000 cash bail with two local sureties and fixed Sept 22 for case management.
DPP Mohamad Aiman Mutallib Mohamad Shariff prosecuted the case, while the accused was represented by counsel Wit Malang.
In a separate courtroom, an unemployed man pleaded not guilty to raping his 12-year-old cousin.
Judge Maris Agan fixed Sept 27 for case management and ordered the accused be remanded at Puncak Borneo Prison until further mention of the case.
The 20-year-old allegedly committed the offence between April 1, 2021, and April 30, 2021 at a house in Matang here.
He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and caning.
A doctor lodged a police report after discovering the victim was 17 weeks pregnant.
Prosecution was also handled by Mohamad Aiman, while the accused was unrepresented by counsel.