KUALA LUMPUR: A short stint in prison became a decade for three teenagers convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl after the High Court here increased their jail term.
Justice Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah allowed the prosecution's appeal for the five-day punishment against the three 16-year-olds to be lengthened to 10 years in prison.
They had pleaded guilty to gang raping the girl in the bushes off Jalan Prima Pelangi, in Taman Prima Pelangi, here at around 4am on Dec 7 last year.
A fourth 16-year-old had pleaded guilty to committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature by forcing the young girl to perform oral sex on him, at the same time and place.
The court also increased his jail term, from five days to five years' imprisonment.
As they are teenage offenders, their names could not be revealed.
Lawyers Ravin Singh and Mohd Zaidi Hadi Othman represented the accused, while Deputy Public Prosecutor Nordin Ismail prosecuted.
On March 20, the special court for underage offenders sentenced the four to five days in prison after they pleaded guilty to the crime.
However, the prosecution later appealed to the High Court to increase the severity of the punishment.