SEREMBAN: A 47-year-old man who holds a person with disability (OKU) card from the Social Welfare Department has pleaded not guilty to a charge of raping his underaged daughter.
The man claimed trial after the charge was read to him before Sessions judge Datin Surita Budin on Thursday (Feb 1).
He was accused of committing the offence against the girl, aged 16 years and six months at the time, in a house in Kota, Rembau on Nov 12.
He was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of between eight and 30 years and whipping of no fewer than 10 lashes upon conviction.
DPP Goh Hsiao Tung told the court that the prosecution had yet to obtain the relevant reports and would not be offering the suspect bail as he faced another charge against the same victim.
"The victim was also allegedly assaulted by the accused after the alleged rape.
"The prosecution is objecting to bail as there is a possibility he may harass the victim, who is temporarily under the care of the Welfare Department," she added.
The suspect, who was unrepresented, claimed he was drunk on the day of the alleged incident.
"I hope the court offers me bail as I have to take care of my father and three children.
"I do odd jobs and need to work so I can provide for them," he said, adding that he lost one eye in an accident some time ago.
Judge Surita denied bail and fixed March 6 for next mention.
She also told the accused to appoint a lawyer.
Police arrested the suspect on Jan 24 after a clip showing a man hitting a young girl went viral.
In the clip, the man can be seen kicking the victim and hitting her with a plastic chair, basket and ironing board.
The girl reportedly needed 12 stitches for her injuries.
She later told a doctor that her father had raped her in November.
The girl said her parents divorced when she was four years old and she went to live with her grandmother in Rantau after that.
However, in June 2022, she moved in with her father and his 44-year-old girlfriend and continued her secondary education in Tampin.
