More sexual abuse of minors

Kota Kinabalu: A 25-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years and ordered to get four strokes of the cane for sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl.

Sessions Court Judge Ummu Khaltom Abdul Samad meted out the sentence to Mohd Yusrie Mohd Zaini who maintained his guilty plea when his case was brought up for sentencing.

Mohd Yusrie had committed the offence against the minor between 8.30am and 9am on Nov 25, 2020 in the bushes in Inanam.

The offence, under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792), provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction. 

During mitigation, Mohd Yusrie who was not represented, asked for leniency saying that he has parents to look after.

When asked by the court about his conviction record, Mohd Yusrie said that he has previous convictions for drug and house-breaking cases.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Addibah Saiful urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on the grounds that Mohd Yusrie had committed a serious crime against the minor.

Addibah informed the court that Mohd Yusrie had promised to repair the victim’s bicycle but had committed the sexual abuse against the victim to satisfy his lust. 

She further submitted that the medical report had stated that there were red bruises on the girl’s private part.

The court ordered Mohd Yusrie to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest on Nov 26, 2020.

The court heard that the incident happened while the victim was on her way back to her house from her auntie’s house, a man identified as Mohd Yusrie stopped the victim and asked her to follow him as he wanted to repair her bicycle. 

The victim had followed Mohd Yusrie into the bushes and later wanted to leave but Mohd Yusrie threatened her with a knife.

Mohd Yusrie then took off her clothes, kissed her and slowly inserted his private part into the girl’s.

The girl went home and complained to her mother that her private part hurt related her ordeal to the mother.

The mother then lodged a police report and Mohd Yusrie was arrested.

During the identification parade, the victim had identified Mohd Yusrie as the person who had committed the offence against her.

In another case, a 46-year-old company manager was charged with committing sexual abuse against his niece.

The man pleaded not guilty before Session Court Judge Elsie Primus to the charge against him.

The man is accused of committing the offence against the 14-year-old girl by rubbing his finger on the girl’s private part between 3.30am and 3.40am on Jan 31, this year at a house here.

The offence, under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction.

The court set March 17 for case management and released the man on bail of RM15,000 with RM10,000 in two local sureties.

The court also ordered the man to report to the Karamunsing police station once a month.

The man’s passport was also ordered to be impounded by the court and warned not to tamper with the prosecution witnesses.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lokman appeared for the prosecution while counsel P.J Perira represented the man.