A 38-year-old lorry driver was sentenced to nine years in prison and five strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court today after pleading guilty to raping his 16-year-old sister-in-law, resulting in her becoming pregnant and giving birth to a child.
The accused, a father of nine, entered his guilty plea after the charge was read before Sessions Court Judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code.
According to the charge, the man raped his sister-in-law at a house in Batu Pahat between 12.30am on July 27 and 28, 2024.
The offence allegedly took place while the accused’s wife was away from home.
The case came to light after the teenager missed her period and complained of stomach pain. Her mother subsequently took her to hospital for a medical examination.
Doctors found that the teenager was two months pregnant at the time.
The girl, accompanied by her mother, then lodged a police report, while the accused was arrested on Sept 22, 2024, to assist in investigations.
The victim gave birth to a baby boy last year.
Section 376(1) of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
In addition to the prison sentence and whipping, the court ordered the accused to undergo counselling throughout his imprisonment and placed him under police supervision for one year after his release.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Diyana Najihah Muhamed Fauzi prosecuted the case, while the accused was represented by Syafie Naim from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK).
