The victim’s father (centre) and the civil servant are escorted by a policeman at the Kuching Court Complex.
KUCHING (Oct 28): A father who allegedly sold his 10-year-old daughter to friends for sexual acts claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of exposing the victim in a manner likely to cause her to be sexually abused.
The 45-year-old man pleaded not guilty before Judge Mohd Taufik Mohd @ Mohd Yusoff, who fixed Nov 28 for case management and released him on RM8,000 cash bail with two local sureties.
“In view that the child victim is now under the Welfare Department, the court sees no reason not to allow bail to the accused,” said Mohd Taufik.
He added the accused is not to tamper with any of the prosecution’s witnesses, especially the victim.
The accused was charged under Section 31(1)b of the Child Act 2001, which is punishable under Section 31 of the same Act and read together with Section 16 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
Section 31 of the Child Act 200 provides for a fine of up to RM50,000, or a jail term of up to 10 years, or both, upon conviction.
Section 16 of the Sexual Offences Against Children 2017 provides for a jail term of up to five years and not fewer than two strokes of the rotan, in addition to the punishment of committing any offence under this Act or any offence specified in the schedule against a child.
The father allegedly committed the offence at Jalan Matang in 2021.
In the same courtroom, a civil servant, aged 45, who is a friend of the father, also claimed trial to a charge of sexual assault against the victim.
Mohd Taufik set Nov 28 for case management and released him on RM5,000 cash bail with two local sureties, along with a warning not to tamper with the prosecution witnesses, especially the victim.
The civil servant pleaded not guilty to a charge framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children 2017, which is punishable under Section 14 of the same Act.
The Section carries a jail term of up to 20 years and caning upon conviction.
He allegedly sexually assaulted the victim by inserting his finger into her private part at Jalan Matang in 2021.
Both accused were not represented by legal counsel.
Prosecution for the cases were handled by DPPs Ruvinasini Pandian and Danial Mohamad Ali respectively.