SEREMBAN: A 32-year-old man claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to two counts of raping his stepdaughter at their house in Kuala Pilah.
The accused, who works at a scrap metal collector, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before Judge N. Kanageswari.
The accused was charged with committing the offences in Aug 2023 when the alleged victim was one month short of turning 17 and again in Aug 2024.
He was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between eight and 30 years and not less than 10 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi then asked the court for a next mention date to allow the accused to appoint a lawyer.
She also told the court the prosecution was not offering bail to the accused as he lived in the same house with the alleged victim.
The accused pleaded for bail as he had to provide for his five children.
He also told the court that his wife was present to bail him out.
Judge Kanageswari then allowed the accused bail of RM16,000 with one surety for both charges.
She also ordered him to stay away from the victim and other prosecution witnesses and to report once a month at the nearest police station till his case is disposed of.
Kanageswari then fixed Jan 15 for the next mention.
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