Four teenagers who were suspected of gang raping a female student pleaded not guilty when they appeared in court this morning (21 October).
According to the charge sheet, the four defendants (one aged 17 and three aged 15) were charged with gang raping a 14-year-old girl in an oil palm plantation and a secondary school classroom in Baling, Kedah, from June to August this year.
Four teenagers pleaded not guilty to gang raping a 14-year-old girl in Kedah
The charges were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. If convicted, they may be sentenced to imprisonment of not more than 20 years and caning.
All four defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail of RM3,000 each.
In the meantime, all defendants are not allowed to harass the victim during this period, as reported by China Press.
According to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) in Kedah, all four defendants had consensual sexual intercourse with the victim. Since the victim is a minor, the defendants were charged with sexual assault.
One of the 17-year-old defendants is also the victim’s boyfriend, who had sex with the victim 8 times, took nude photos and videos, and sent them to all the defendants.
For illustration purposes only
The 15-year-old defendants had sex with the victim 4 times, and the other two had sex with the victim once.
How the offences came to light
The incident came to light after the relevant video was widely circulated and the school discipline teacher informed the victim’s mother, who then reported the case to the police.
On the other hand, two suspects in the Melaka gang rape were hauled to court last week. One of them pleaded guilty, while the other one sought a trial.
