LAHAD DATU: A 52-year-old unemployed man pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here on Friday to a charge of attempting to rape a 10-year-old girl.
The accused, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim, was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. He claimed trial before Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani.
According to the charge, the accused allegedly lured the young girl — his neighbour’s daughter — into a hut around 10am on July 29 and attempted to rape her.
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');});Prosecuting officer Inspector Sitti Zubaeda M. Kasim told the court that the victim was home alone at the time. She later filed a police report with assistance from her family.
A medical examination by an O&G specialist at Lahad Datu Hospital found no physical injuries on the victim.
Despite this, the man is being charged with an attempted sexual offence involving a minor.
The court was also informed that the accused tested positive for methamphetamine (Syabu) use. He will face a separate trial under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug-related offences.
Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani set September 22 for mention of the case, pending the victim’s medical and Child Interview Centre (CIC) reports.
