Photo for illustration.
KUCHING: An unemployed man was sentenced to five days in jail and fined RM2,000 in default two weeks’ imprisonment for outraging the modesty of his 35-year-old cousin by forcefully hugging her.
Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan imposed the sentence on the 25-year-old man after he pleaded guilty to a charge framed under Section 354 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine or whipping, or any two of the punishment, if convicted.
He had committed the offence at the victim’s house here at around 9.20am on Oct 24, 2023.
According to the facts of the case, he visited the victim’s house, asking for a drink. The victim told him to get it himself in the kitchen.
While the victim was resting on the sofa, the man approached her without wearing pants and attempted to molest her.
She immediately got up from the sofa to avoid him and screamed for help, but he continued to restrain her by embracing her from the front and covering her mouth with his hand.
The victim immediately lodged a police report which led to his arrest on the same day at around 9.50am.
Investigations found that the man had used criminal force against the victim with intent to outrage her modesty by hugging her body.
Insp Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented by counsel.