SIBU: A youth claimed trial at the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (Nov 18) to two charges of raping a teenage girl.
The accused, 22, of Kanowit, denied the charges read and explained to him through an interpreter and the consequences of his plea.
The first charge stated that he raped a 13-year-old girl at a longhouse in Kanowit on May 26 at about 9pm.
The second charge mentioned that he raped the same victim in the month of July, 2025 at about 9pm at the same longhouse.
The accused, who is unrepresented, is facing the offence listed under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which upon conviction, provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and shall also be punished with whipping.
The case, heard before Judge Musyiri Peet, is fixed for pre-trial case managment on Dec 8.
Meanwhile, in a separate case at the same court, a 31-year-old man was indicted on a charge of human trafficking.
However, Stephen Lee Siau Chung pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
According to the charge sheet, he was accused of trafficking one Johnny Eng, 36, who being a person unable to fully take care of or protect himself because of a physical or mental disability or condition, for the purpose of exploitation by forced labour by means of abuse of the position of vulnerability of a person to an act of trafficking in person.
The incident allegedly took place at Durin Kanowit Road between Oct 5 and Nov 3.
Framed under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, an offender could face up to 20 years’ jail and liable to fine, upon conviction.
Judge Musyiri granted the accused to be released on RM30,000 bail in two sureties pending pre-trial management on Jan 7, 2026.
