BY Fadley Faisal

A 22-year-old man was sentenced by the High Court to 21 years of jail and 12 canings on Monday after he pleaded guilty to raping his niece on four occasions.

Judicial Commissioner Haji Abdullah Soefri bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin heard from Prosecutor Atiyyah Abas that the victim lives with her mother, grandmother and the defendant, who is her maternal uncle.

The prosecutor said the 12-year-old victim was first approached on December 2019, when the defendant touched the victim while she was sleeping on a mattress in the living room.

She was awoken by the defendant, whom she recognised, and was told to keep quiet. She was then forcibly undressed, pinned down and raped.

The victim, shocked and frightened, tried to resist, but was overpowered by the defendant.

On June 1, 2021 during a family gathering, the defendant again approached the victim while she was washing dishes in the kitchen near midnight.

He pulled her aside into an empty room next to the kitchen, and forced her to perform a sexual act on him, before raping her again.

The victim was sexually assaulted again sometime between October and November 2021.

The defendant woke the victim up from her sleep in the living room and raped her. He then returned to his room after.

On May 19, the defendant performed a sexual act on the victim while she was asleep in the living room, forced the victim to perform a sexual act on him, then raped her again.

The prosecution said on May 21, at school, the victim told her teacher she wanted to quit school. When asked why, the victim said she was pregnant.

After the revelation, the victim’s teacher reported it to the principal and called the victim’s mother.

The defendant was subsequently arrested after a police report.

The court was told that the victim never confided in anyone as she was afraid of the defendant.

However, the victim stopped menstruating and started showing signs of pregnancy, which her family members noticed by then.

The victim was asked by her grandmother whose child it was, which the victim replied it was the defendant’s.

The family chose to keep it a secret out of shame, and fear of the defendant.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin