Kota Kinabalu: A 19-year-old was charged with two counts of raping his cousin since she was seven. He pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
On the first count, he is accused of raping the girl who was seven years and one month at that time between 6pm and 7pm in 2019 at a house in Tuaran.
On the second count, he allegedly raped the same girl who was by then 12 years and three months at between 6am and 7am on Aug 10, 2024 at a house also in Tuaran.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});The offence under Section 376 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, on conviction.
The court set Aug 27 for mention and released on bail of RM3,000 in two local sureties with having permanent address in Kota Kinabalu or Tuaran and gainfully employed and sureties can be the same for both charges.
The man was also ordered to report to Tuaran Police Station every first day of the month until disposal of his case, to surrender his passport, if any, to the court and he or anyone related to him not to disturb, contact or tamper with any of the prosecution’s witnesses especially the alleged victim while released on bail.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Francis offered no bail as the charge was a non-bailable offence.
Bryan informed the court that the man and the child are related and that there was a risk of intimidating the victim.
But, in the event the court grant bail, Bryan suggested that RM10,000 bail for each charge with several additional conditions to be imposed on the man.
The defence counsel applied for bail saying that the man was only 19 and he came voluntarily.
The counsel also informed that the man was a jobless, no fixed income and that he needed to take care both parents who have medical health problems.