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A MECHANIC has been sentenced to 20 years in prison and 10 strokes of the cane by the Muar Sessions Court after he was found guilty of raping his stepdaughter three years ago.
The court heard that the 48-year-old man, who was accused of the crime under Section 376 (3) of the Penal Code, committed the act while his wife was taking another child to school in Kluang.
In delivering her verdict, Judge Sayani Mohd Nor said the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt.
“Having examined and weighed all the evidence and exhibits presented throughout the trial, the court finds that the prosecution has successfully proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt to convict the accused of the crime of rape.”
“The court therefore sentences the accused to 20 years in prison and 10 strokes of the cane, with the sentence taking effect from the date of conviction (today),” she added.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Othman Affan Ismail, presented five witnesses, including the victim and her mother.
According to the charge, the accused was charged with raping his stepdaughter, who was 12 years old at the time of the incident, at a house in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, at 7am on 8 August 2022.
Section 376 (3) provides for a prison sentence of up to 30 years and a minimum of 10 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Based on the facts of the case, the victim was alone at home on the day of the incident while her mother had left to take her sibling to school. The accused entered the victim's room wearing shorts before leaving and then returning wearing only a towel. The victim was also shown pornographic videos before the accused committed the act.
The crime was uncovered when the victim told her mother, and they filed a report at the Simpang Renggam Police Station a week after the incident.
Following the verdict, the accused's lawyer, Datuk Mandave Singh Gill, requested a stay of execution to allow for an appeal to the High Court. The court granted the request but raised the bail from RM6,000 to RM11,000.
The same court had previously ordered the accused to enter his defence on 12 December last year after a prima facie case was established by the prosecution. - August 26, 2025
