An excavator driver was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by the Sessions Court here on Friday for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on a bus last Monday.
Judge Datin Surita Budin handed down the sentence to 47-year-old S. Gunah after he pleaded guilty to the charges. The sentence takes effect from his arrest on October 20, 2025.
The court also ordered the defendant to undergo rehabilitation counseling and be under police supervision for one year.
According to the charges, the defendant committed the sexual assault by touching the victim’s thighs and arms for sexual purposes while she was traveling on the bus from Tampin to Rembau, near the Bongek area, at around 4 p.m. on October 20, 2025.
The offense is punishable under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and may also include corporal punishment.
Court facts revealed that the victim was approached by the defendant, who initially wanted to shake her hand. When she refused, citing religious reasons, the defendant allegedly grabbed her thighs and arms and used obscene language.
During the sentencing appeal, the defendant, who was unrepresented, claimed he was unmarried and had no steady income.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni requested an appropriate sentence to serve as a deterrent, emphasizing the public interest over the defendant’s personal circumstances.
