A 45-year-old retired army personnel has been charged with raping and sexually harassing his daughter at their home in Batu Gajah.
He pleaded not guilty to all three charges before Sessions Court Judge J. Jean Sharmila.
According to the first charge, the man allegedly committed physical sexual harassment against his then-12-year-old daughter in mid-December last year at around 2.30pm. The second charge accuses him of raping the victim at the same residence later that night, around 11.30pm. The third charge involves another incident of sexual harassment in the living room of the same house in January this year, between 2.30pm and 8.30pm.
The charges were framed under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Qurratu’aini Khalifah informed the court that the victim, the third of six siblings, was pregnant at the time of the alleged incidents, although the duration of the pregnancy is yet to be confirmed.
In seeking lower bail, defence lawyer Muhammad Farhan Ahmad Fadzil told the court that the accused survives on a monthly pension of approximately RM1,800, and that his wife is unemployed. He also assured the court that, if granted bail, the accused would move out of the family home to avoid contact with the victim.
Judge Jean Sharmila allowed bail at RM21,000 with one surety and set August 18 for case mention. She also ordered the accused not to contact the victim or any witnesses, and to report to the nearest police station monthly.
