Man in Kuching gets jail, caning for sexually assaulting 6-year-old grandniece

KUCHING (Sept 4): The Sessions Court here today sentenced a 48-year-old man to a total of eight years and nine months in jail along with four strokes of the rotan for sexually assaulting his six-year-old grandniece.

Judge Iris Awen Jon imposed the sentence against the accused after he pleaded guilty to Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (Soaca) 2017, which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.

The Section was read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act, which carries imprisonment not exceeding five years and at least two strokes of the rotan if convicted.

For the offence under Section 14(a) of Soaca, the court sentenced the accused to six years and four months in prison, along with two strokes of the rotan.

Additionally, under Section 16(1) of the same Act, the man was sentenced to two years and five months’ imprisonment, and two strokes of the rotan.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The accused was also ordered to undergo counselling and be placed under police supervision for three years upon his release from prison.

The offence was committed at a village in Bau at around 5pm on Aug 21, 2024.

Based on the case facts, a police officer received a call from a doctor at Bau Hospital regarding the sexual assault of a young girl.

The doctor reported that the victim had been brought to the hospital by her mother for treatment, after the girl complained of pain in her private part.

Following a report lodged, police arrested the accused the next day.

An investigation revealed that on the day of the incident, the victim was playing with her sister in front of their house when the accused approached on a motorcycle and offered to take the girl to buy ice cream.

Instead, the accused took the victim to a river bank in the village where he sexually assaulted her, before taking her to buy ice cream.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohammad Fauzan Zamri, while the accused was unrepresented by counsel.