SIBU: A 27-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years behind bars and three strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here today after he was found guilty of raping a teenage girl.
In delivering the verdict, Judge Musyiri Peet ruled that the prosecution had successfully proven the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt and thus, convicted him accordingly of the charge against him.
In passing sentence, he took into consideration of the facts of the case, plea in mitigation and public interest.
Samuel Mahmud from Sungai Keriok, Niah, was indicted on the charge of raping the victim aged 15 then at a hotel along Jalan Maju on November 11, 2024, and had thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code.
The offence provides for an imprisonment of between 10 and 20 years as well as whipping upon conviction.
In mitigation, Samuel pleaded for a lenient sentence.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP), Cynthia Emmelda Jerry, pressed for a deterrent sentence in view of the rampancy of the offence, nature of the offence, gravity of the offence and, most importantly, that the victim is below 16 years of age during the crime committed by the accused.
She stressed that the child victim was forced to be victimised by the accused in order to fulfil his gratification of desire, which led to a prolonged trauma that would not be forgotten in her life.
“This despicable act has not only victimised the child but also her family members.
“It is humbly submitted that the evidence has been established by the prosecution during the trial which clearly had proven the elements under section 376(1) of Penal Code against the accused and remains unshaken by the defendant,” DPP Cynthia asserted.
Samuel who was unrepresented by legal counsel, was ordered to serve his imprisonment sentence from the date of his arrest on November 27, 2024.
