KUCHING: Two Form One boys pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court here for bullying a female classmate by making criminal threats to stab her 300 times and threatening to have others rape her.
In addition, one of the boys also intentionally injured the victim by throwing a correction tape at her left cheek, causing bruising.
Both 13-year-old boys entered their guilty pleas before two separate magistrates.
The first boy was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan for voluntarily causing hurt to a 12-year-nine-month-old girl by throwing a correction tape at her cheek, resulting in bruises.
The second boy was charged under Section 506 of the Penal Code before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan for criminally intimidating the victim by threatening to stab her 300 times and to have others rape her.
Both offences were committed inside a classroom at a secondary school in Padawan at around 2:20 pm on October 21.
As both are juvenile offenders, the court fixed mention dates for case management pending a moral report from the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
Ling allowed the first boy to be released on RM2,000 bail without deposit, with his parents as sureties, and fixed December 2 for further mention.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Mason Jaro allowed the second accused to be released on RM2,000 bail without deposit, with his parents as sureties, and fixed December 18 for further mention.
According to the case facts, on the day of the incident, the victim was disturbed by two classmates while she was studying.
Their actions caused the victim to feel uncomfortable and emotionally distressed due to the continuous harassment by her classmates.
She later lodged a police report for reference and disciplinary action by the school against the two boys.
Following the report, a special team led by investigating officer, ASP Sylvarius Gopog, along with Sgt Ridvaner Haddi and several other officers, was formed to investigate the case before both suspects were detained and arrested.
Investigations found that the second boy had issued criminal threats by claiming he would stab the victim 300 times – referencing a similar case that occurred at a school in Petaling Jaya, Selangor – and threatened to have others rape her.
In the same incident, the first boy threw a correction tape at the victim, causing bruising.
As a result of the threats and intimidation, the victim became fearful and traumatised to attend school.
When the incident occurred, there were eyewitnesses at the scene who saw it.
Deputy Public Prosecutor, Chuah Kai Sheng, prosecuted the case, while the case was investigated by investigating officer, Inspector Muhamad Hafizin Harun.
The boys, who were present with their parents, were unrepresented by counsels.
