Bar seeks full grounds of judgment in rape acquittal

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar will be requesting the Court of Appeal to provide the full grounds of judgment in the case of a 60-year-old man in Sibu who was acquitted of rape.

Bar president Steven Thiru said the Bar would make its decision after studying the judgment.

Bunya Jalong, who was accused of raping a girl in May, June, July and August 2011 at a hotel in Sibu, was acquitted by the Court of Appeal on May 7, reasoning that it was unsafe to convict him.

The girl gave birth at the Sibu Hospital on Feb 5, 2012, with a DNA test confirming Bunya to be the baby boy’s biological father.

The acquittal has caused massive public uproar, with many calling it a clear case of statutory rape.

The public and politicians alike have pressed for a judicial review of the court’s decision.

However, Deputy Solicitor-General (I) Datuk Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah had said that the Attorney-General’s Chambers would not file any application for a review of the acquittal.

Meanwhile, the Women, Family and Community Development Mi­­nistry would expedite the proposed amendments to the Penal Code in relation to the definition of rape in light of this case.