Kuching man pleads guilty to repeated sexual assault of underage daughter; gets 20 years’ jail, 13 strokes

File photo for illustration purposes only. Photo: Pixabay

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, Apr 7: A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment and 13 strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here after pleading guilty to repeatedly sexually assaulting his underage daughter.

Judge Iris Awen Jon handed down the sentence after the accused admitted to an offence under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 16(1) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

Court documents revealed that the offences took place over a period of time, beginning when the victim was 11 years old. The girl, now 14, was last subjected to the assault on April 1 at their residence in the Stampin area.

The case came to light after the victim disclosed the incidents to her 19-year-old boyfriend, who subsequently lodged a police report on April 3.

Following the report, the victim was referred for medical examination and further treatment. Medical findings indicated evidence consistent with prolonged abuse.

Investigations established that the acts had been ongoing since 2023. The accused, who works as a general labourer, was arrested on April 4.

A urine screening conducted at the time returned positive for methamphetamine.

In addition to the custodial sentence and caning, the court ordered the accused to undergo counselling throughout his imprisonment. He will also be placed under police supervision for two years upon completing his sentence.

The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar. The accused was unrepresented. — DayakDaily