Kota Kinabalu: Two men and a youth were charged separately with raping two underaged girls.
Mohd Nizaruddin Madjan, 22, Ramlan Jirirun, 29 and the 18-year-old, pleaded not guilty separately before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus, Thursday.
Mohd Nizaruddin has five charges, Ramlan got a charge while the youth has two charges.
On the first to fourth count, Mohd Nizaruddin is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl on Jan 3, 6, 14, 16 this year between 1.30am and 4am on a chair by the beach in Kg Indarason Laut, Kudat.
On the fifth count, he allegedly raped the same girl between 1.30am and 2.30am on Feb 1 this year at a house in Kg Indarason Laut, Kudat.
Ramlan allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl at 3.30am on Jan 14 this year by the beach in Kg Indarason Laut, Kudat.
Meanwhile, the youth on the first count, is accused of raping the 15-year-old girl (same alleged victim in Mohd’s case) between 2.30am and 3am on the chair by the beach in Kg Indarason Laut, Kudat on Jan 14 this year.
On the second count, he allegedly raped the 14-year-old girl (same girl as in Ramlan’s case) on the same day between 3am and 3.30am at the same place.
They were separately charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction.
The court set June 7 for case management and offered bail to the trio with several conditions.
Mohd Nizaruddin was offered bail of RM15,000 in two local sureties, Ramlan’s bail was RM10,000 in two local sureties and the youth was released on bail of RM10,000 in two local sureties.
The court also imposed several conditions, ordering Mohd Nizaruddin and the youth to report to Kota Belud police station once a month and Ramlan to the Kota Marudu police station once a month.
The court also prohibited the trio from entering Kudat and warned not to get in touch or communicate with the prosecution witnesses, especially the alleged victims either via WhatsApp, SMS or call, and passport if any, to be impounded by the court.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mas Izzatly Lokman objected bail for all the accused persons, submitting that they knew the alleged victims as they were living in the same village and that they might tamper with the prosecution witnesses.
However, Mohd Nizaruddin who was not represented, asked for bail to be granted, saying that he was living far from the alleged victim and different district as he was in Kota Belud.
He promised to come to court and report himself to the police station.
Meanwhile, Ramlan through his counsel Mohd Ari Nadzrah Abd Rahman, applied for bail as he was working in Kota Marudu and only his mother was living in Kg Indarason but will move to Kg Teritipan, Kota Marudu.
Mohd Ari informed the court that Ramlan will stay with his sister in Kota Marudu.
The youth also asked for bail by telling the court that he will not stay in Kudat and move to Kota Belud. He told the court that he will stay with his stepfather in Kota Belud.
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