KUCHING: A sexagenarian was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment by the Magistrates’ Court here today for molesting two sisters, his neighbours, at a village house in Petra Jaya on March 2.
Salleh Jolhi, 69, a general labourer with six children, pleaded guilty to two charges read before two different magistrates.
According to the first charge, he was accused of outraging the modesty of a 20-year-old woman by touching the victim’s buttocks and breasts.
In the second charge, he was accused of outraging the modesty of a 21-year-old woman in the same manner as the first victim.
Both offences were committed in the victims’ bedrooms at a house in a village along Jalan Sultan Tengah, Petra Jaya, at about 8 am on March 2.
The offences were charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which carries a punishment of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, or a fine, or whipping, or any combination thereof upon conviction.
Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan sentenced him to 24 months’ imprisonment for the first charge.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan sentenced the accused to 18 months’ imprisonment for the second charge.
Both sentences were ordered to run consecutively, bringing the total prison term to 42 months.
According to the facts of the case, on the day of the incident, the complainant, the 21-year-old second victim, was sleeping with her younger sister when the accused suddenly entered and lay down between them.
The accused then deliberately touched the first victim’s breasts and buttocks while pulling down her sleepwear without her consent.
In addition, the accused also touched the second victim’s buttocks. She realised what was happening when she turned and saw the accused lying sideways behind her.
The second victim then screamed, causing the accused to flee through the kitchen door of their house.
A police report was lodged by the complainant, which led to the arrest of the accused on the same day at around 11.25 pm.
During the court proceedings in both separate courts, Deputy Public Prosecutors (DPP) Muhammad Aidil Akmal Sharidan and DPP Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani requested a heavy sentence be imposed on the accused.
This was because the accused was said to frequently enter neighbours’ houses in the village.
However, the accused, who was unrepresented by counsel, pleaded for leniency, saying it was his first offence and claiming he was senile and unaware of his actions.
