A 20-year-old delivery rider has pleaded guilty to raping an underage girl in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, whom he met through Telegram.
According to the charge, the incident happened around 3:30 PM on 22 August in a storage room near a house in Kampung Ulu Beranang, Lenggeng.
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The girl was 13 years old at the time
Yarits Dzikri Yunus was accused of raping the underage girl, who was 13 years and 10 months old at the time, according to Sinar Harian.
The offence falls under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
Earlier, lawyer Asmawi Ismail asked for the minimum sentence, arguing that imprisonment was not appropriate for his client, who is a young offender with no prior record.
Asmawi explained that the accused had met the victim through a Telegram group where explicit videos of the victim were shared and sexual services were offered.
“To join that Telegram group, members must be over 18, and the accused assumed the victim was also around 18,” he said.
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He was ordered to complete 240 hours of community service
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni asked for an appropriate sentence, noting that the victim was a minor at the time and that the accused’s guilty plea should not be seen as a mitigating factor, given how common child sexual crimes have become.
Yesterday (20 November), the Sessions Court ordered the accused to complete 240 hours of community service within 12 months.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Datin Surita Budin after considering the defence’s mitigation plea, the case facts, aggravating factors, and a social report with recommendations from a Social Welfare Department (JKM) officer.
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She also ordered the accused to follow 10 additional conditions, including reporting to the nearest police station every month, attending counselling sessions, and sticking to the activity schedule set by the JKM officer.
The accused was also required to post a RM5,000 bond with a family member as surety, and if he fails, he could face up to one year in prison.
If he doesn’t complete the community service or follow the conditions, he may be brought back to court and face the original penalties.
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Also read: 61yo Malaysian Pleads Guilty to Repeatedly Molesting Toddlers at Singapore Preschool During Naptime
