KOTA KINABALU: A man who was supposed to face charges of sexually assaulting his nine-year-old niece pleaded guilty before the trial commenced here on Thursday (July 6).
The unemployed man, 40, changed his plea before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus who then sentenced him to five years' jail and one stroke of the rotan.
The man confessed to committing the crime against his niece at a house in Sabah's northern Pitas district in January last year.
The accused was charged under Section 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides a maximum 20-year jail term and whipping, on conviction.
According to the charge sheet, the girl had confided to her teacher that she was afraid of going home after what her uncle had done.
The girl's mother lodged a police report on Sept 22 last year after being alerted of the matter and the accused was detained by police the following day.
The judge also instructed the accused to be sent for rehabilitative counselling while in jail, pursuant to Section 26 of Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
On completing his sentence, the man will be placed under police supervision three years under Section 27(1) of the same Act.
Counsel Mohd Al Hafidz Mohd Lokman, who represented the accused, requested the court for leniency during mitigation.
He said the accused felt remorse over the incident and also had problems with his vision, among others.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tham Pou Jin, however, urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence.
