SEREMBAN: An 18-year-old student at a public higher education institution has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to five charges of raping two secondary school students.
The suspect, who was a juvenile when the alleged crimes were committed, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before judge Datin Surita Budin on Wednesday (Nov 30).
He turned 18 in September.
The suspect allegedly committed the offences between March and June at various locations within the school compound.
He allegedly raped the first victim at around 9.15am at the fourth floor of a block in March when she was 15 years and eight months old.
The suspect allegedly raped her again at around 10.30am on May 20 in the school hall.
The second victim was first allegedly raped at a toilet store around 10.30am in the middle of May. She was then 15 years and nine months old.
The same victim was again allegedly raped in the school hall around 10am at the end of May and about 11am along the stairway on the third floor of a block in early June.
The suspect was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor HT Goh then told the court she had yet to obtain the medical reports of the alleged rapes.
She also said that although the offences were non-bailable due to the seriousness of the crimes, the court could use its discretion and set a high bail.
She also asked that additional conditions be imposed which included requiring the suspect to report to the nearest police station once a month and not to contact or harass the witnesses.
Judge Surita then asked the accused if any of his family members were present in court to post bail and he said his mother was present.
The judge then asked the mother if she had the money to post bail as the alleged offences were serious.
The mother then told the court that she works as a saleswoman and her husband was a technician.
The suspect is the second of four children.
The judge then set bail at RM12,000 for all the charges and ordered the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month.
She also told the suspect's mother to ensure he attended court or else the bail would be forfeited.
The court fixed Jan 4 for the case's next mention and to allow the suspect to engage a lawyer.
