Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong, along with Justices Conrad Seagroatt and Edward Timothy Starbuck Woolley, on June 20 upheld the 30-year-four-month imprisonment and 20 caning sentence for a 29-year-old convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl.
Respondent Deputy Public Prosecutor Rozaimah binti Abdul Rahman revealed that the appellant, a friend of the victim’s brother, frequently stayed at the victim’s home after being evicted by his mother.
The crimes occurred in 2021. He first raped the victim at his mother’s house and later in a bathroom at her home.
The victim disclosed the incidents in September 2022, leading to a police report and the appellant’s arrest.
Initially pleading not guilty to three charges, the appellant changed his plea to guilty for two charges on July 26, 2023 after the victim’s testimony.
The judge reduced the initial sentence by 20 per cent for the late guilty plea.
Ultimately, the appellant received an aggregate sentence of 30 years and four months’ imprisonment and 20 caning.
The appellate judges found the sentence appropriate, considering the severity of the offences and the appellant’s breach of trust.
The absence of a psychological report on the victim’s impact was noted, with the court emphasising the prosecution’s duty to ensure such reports. The appeal was dismissed. – Fadley Faisal
