MUAR: An unemployed man was sentenced to 30 years in prison and 15 strokes of the rotan after pleading guilty to three charges of sexually assaulting his 14-year-old daughter.
Sessions Court judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid handed down the sentence today, citing the seriousness of the offences, which took place on separate occasions between Oct 3 and 5 at a house in a settlement in Segamat.
The judge said the victim had been subjected to force and threats, leaving her with no choice but to comply with the accused's demands.
"The interests of the accused cannot outweigh those of the public," she said, adding that similar offences remained prevalent despite heavy sentences imposed by courts nationwide.
The man was charged under Section 14(b), read together with Section 16 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
The case came to light after police received a report on Oct 6, following the girl's reluctance to return to the house where she lived with her father and stepmother.
According to the facts of the case, the girl disclosed the abuse to her stepmother, who then informed the girl's biological mother. They then lodged a police report.
Deputy public prosecutor Nur Ameerah Allaudeen prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented.
The court also ordered the man to undergo counselling during his prison term and placed him under police supervision for three years after completing his sentence.
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