SANDAKAN: A 52-year-old Filipino was sentenced to a total of 36 years in jail and ordered given 24 strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court Monday for raping his step-granddaughter last year.
The step-granddaughter gave birth to a baby boy last month.
Judge Mohd Fisher @ Fisal handed down the sentence after the man pleaded guilty to two counts of rape under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, read together with Sections 16(1) and 26(1) of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017.
For each charge, the man was jailed 15 years and ordered given 10 strokes of the cane, from the date of arrest.
He was also given an additional three years’ jail and two strokes under the Sexual Offences against Children Act.
The court ordered the jail terms to run concurrently, while the 22 strokes remain.
Earlier, the court heard from the prosecution that the first offence occurred at 9am on Oct 13, 2024, when the victim, who was washing dishes, was dragged into the living room by her step-grandfather and raped.
He also threatened to kill her if she told anyone about it.
The second offence was committed at 10am on Oct 15, 2024, in a plantation in Sandakan.
The man had taken the victim and her two younger siblings there to collect palm fruit.
He told the two siblings to pick vegetables some distance away before raping the victim, who resisted and cried for help but was overpowered.
On July 18 this year, at 7pm, the victim gave birth to a baby boy.
The man told her to remain in a hut in front of the house so that her siblings would not find out.
The man later confessed to his wife that he was responsible for the step-granddaughter’s pregnancy.
The victim and her two siblings had been living with their grandmother and step-grandfather following their parents’ divorce.
On July 20, the victim’s father and elder brother visited, and the man told them that she had run into the forest with her baby.
The victim’s mother, who only learned of the matter on July 23, lodged a police report after discovering her daughter had given birth. The man was arrested the same day.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Azizi Hamil prosecuted, while the accused was not represented.
The step-granddaughter gave birth to a baby boy last month.
Judge Mohd Fisher @ Fisal handed down the sentence after the man pleaded guilty to two counts of rape under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, read together with Sections 16(1) and 26(1) of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017.
For each charge, the man was jailed 15 years and ordered given 10 strokes of the cane, from the date of arrest.
He was also given an additional three years’ jail and two strokes under the Sexual Offences against Children Act.
The court ordered the jail terms to run concurrently, while the 22 strokes remain.
Earlier, the court heard from the prosecution that the first offence occurred at 9am on Oct 13, 2024, when the victim, who was washing dishes, was dragged into the living room by her step-grandfather and raped.
He also threatened to kill her if she told anyone about it.
The second offence was committed at 10am on Oct 15, 2024, in a plantation in Sandakan.
The man had taken the victim and her two younger siblings there to collect palm fruit.
He told the two siblings to pick vegetables some distance away before raping the victim, who resisted and cried for help but was overpowered.
On July 18 this year, at 7pm, the victim gave birth to a baby boy.
The man told her to remain in a hut in front of the house so that her siblings would not find out.
The man later confessed to his wife that he was responsible for the step-granddaughter’s pregnancy.
The victim and her two siblings had been living with their grandmother and step-grandfather following their parents’ divorce.
On July 20, the victim’s father and elder brother visited, and the man told them that she had run into the forest with her baby.
The victim’s mother, who only learned of the matter on July 23, lodged a police report after discovering her daughter had given birth. The man was arrested the same day.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Azizi Hamil prosecuted, while the accused was not represented.
