SANDAKAN: A 50-year-old undocumented fisherman has been sentenced to 22 years in jail for raping and sexually assaulting his stepdaughter.
The man pleaded guilty to two charges involving the girl, who was eight when the first offence occurred at their home here in May 2023.
Sandakan Sessions Court judge Roslinda Razali sentenced him on Tuesday (July 28) to 20 years’ jail and 20 strokes of the cane under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code for rape.
For the second charge under Section 377C of the Penal Code, involving an offence committed at another house here on April 29 this year, he was jailed for 18 years and ordered to be given 20 strokes of the cane.
The two principal jail terms will run concurrently from the date of his arrest.
For each charge, the court also imposed an additional one-year jail term and two strokes under Section 16(1) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
The provision prescribes additional punishment when an offence against a child is committed by someone in a relationship of trust, including a parent, guardian or teacher.
The two additional jail terms will run consecutively, bringing the effective prison term to 22 years.
According to the facts of the case, the offences came to light after the girl confided in a schoolmate, who informed a teacher.
The matter was subsequently brought to the attention of the girl’s mother, who lodged a police report on April 29.
Deputy public prosecutor Yuvan Bharathan prosecuted the case.
The man will be referred to the Immigration Department for deportation after completing his sentence.
