A 49-year-old barber in Tawau, Sabah, has been sentenced to 9 years of jail time and 4 lashes after pleading guilty to a crime – sodomising a 16-year-old for years until the victim contracted HIV.
The barber, Meruan Daud, confessed after the charges were read out by the Court’s interpreter in front of Judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya.
The charge is filed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for imprisonment for a period not exceeding twenty years and whipping if convicted, reported New Straits Times and Harian Metro.
The sexual assault last took place on March 11 at Meruan’s barbershop. According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Suhaimi Suryana, Meruan started to sodomise the 16-year-old when the latter was only 13.
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His HIV status was recently diagnosed and confirmed when he was referred to the Emergency and Trauma Department of Tawau Hospital, where a rapid screening test was conducted. In the hospital, the victim also admitted to having had same-sex intercourse with the accused.
Meruan knew the victim because they lived in the same village and often engaged in the activity once a week.
“The prosecution also takes into account the humanitarian factor towards the victim when the medical report confirms that the victim is infected with HIV.”
Suhaimi added that Meruan had not shown any remorse or guilt for what he did to the victim.
