SEREMBAN: A 73-year-old man has claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to a charge of raping his 18-year-old stepdaughter.
The accused pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before judge N. Kanageswari on Tuesday (May 26).
He was charged with committing the offence in the living room of a house in Taman Jujur near here around 2am on May 6.
The accused, a grasscutter, was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code for rape involving victims the alleged perpetrator is not legally, religiously, or customarily permitted to marry, or incestuous rape.
Offenders can be jailed between eight and 30 years and given at least 10 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi told the court the prosecution was not offering bail as the accused lives in the same house as the alleged victim.
She also asked for a new mention date for the submission of documents and to allow the accused to appoint a lawyer.
The accused appealed for a low bail as he had to provide for his wife, two biological children and a stepchild.
Judge Kanageswari denied bail and fixed July 6 for next mention.
