A 24-year-old burger seller was charged at the Sessions Court here today with allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl in Tangkak in May, just a day after they first met.
Mohamad Akhil Yusuf pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Sessions Court judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid.
The accused allegedly committed the offence at about 3am on May 29 inside a car parked by the roadside in Tangkak. He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
During the proceedings, the judge reprimanded the accused after he appealed for a reduction in his bail, stressing the seriousness of the allegation and its consequences.
Police investigations found that the accused had known the victim for only a day before they went out together in a car. He allegedly stopped near the girl’s home before inviting her to the back seat, where the alleged offence took place.
The case came to light after the girl’s mother discovered sexually explicit messages on her daughter’s phone. The girl later told her mother about the alleged incident, prompting a police report to be lodged on June 3.
The accused was subsequently arrested on Aug 7. Deputy Public Prosecutor Amira Sapian appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was not represented by a lawyer during the proceedings.
The court granted the accused bail of RM8,000 and ordered him to report to the nearest police station on the first Monday of every month.
He was also prohibited from contacting or approaching the victim, her family members or any witnesses through any means, including social media.
The court fixed Sept 17 for mention of the case to allow the prosecution to submit relevant documents and for the accused to appoint a lawyer.
