Kota Kinabalu: A lorry attendant who committed physical sexual harassment against his stepdaughter was sentenced to a total of 16 years in jail and ordered to receive two strokes of the cane.
Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain meted out the sentences to the 45-year-old man after he pleaded guilty to two charges against him in the middle of his trial on Tuesday.
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The prosecution had called one witness to testify during the trial.
On the first count, the man was sentenced to eight years’ jail and ordered to get a stroke of the cane for touching the 13-year-old’s private parts at a living room of a house in Penampang in the middle of July, 2023.
On the second count, he was jailed another eight years plus a stroke of the cane for touching the victim’s breasts and hip at the kitchen of the same house in the middle of June, 2024.
The man was charged under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
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The man was ordered to serve the jail sentences consecutively from the date of his arrest and to undergo rehabilitative counselling while serving his term.
The court heard that the incidents occurred when the victim was 13 and 14 years old. The victim is now 15.
The man, who was unrepresented, requested a lenient sentence, citing family responsibilities.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Fazriel Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, emphasising that the man had committed sexual offences against his stepdaughter, whom he was supposed to protect.
Fazriel submitted that the offences were not isolated, but involved two separate acts, demonstrating a pattern of behaviour and continued exploitation of the victim.
