A father has been hit with charges for allegedly sexually abusing his stepdaughter at a house in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
The 49-year-old storekeeper pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which reportedly happened sometime late last year and earlier this year, according to Sinar Harian.
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He’s facing 5 counts of sexual abuse
The first and second charges claim he sexually abused the victim, who is 16 years and 7 months old, at a house in Badang around 3:30 PM in December last year.
The third and fourth incidents allegedly happened at the same place in February, while the fifth one took place there again in March.
The charges fall under Sections 14(a) and 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, and are punishable under Section 14 and Section 377B of the Penal Code, read together with Section 16 of the same Act, which applies when there is a breach of trust.
If found guilty under Section 14 of the Act and Section 377B of the Penal Code, the accused could face up to 20 years in prison and whipping.
Meanwhile, Section 16 provides for an additional sentence of up to five years in prison and at least two strokes of the cane due to the trust-based relationship between the accused and the victim.
“He still has to support his wife and kids”
During the hearing, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Faiz didn’t offer any bail, pointing to the seriousness of the charges and the fact that it involved a breach of trust between a father and his stepdaughter.
However, the accused’s lawyer Wan Amani Wan ‘Azimin requested bail, explaining that her client no longer lives with the victim.
“She’s currently staying with her aunt and uncle and is being closely looked after. Meanwhile, my client has a nerve condition, has struggled with anxiety, and still has to support his wife and five kids on just RM70 a day,” she said.
Judge Zulkifli Abdullah eventually granted bail at RM20,000 with two sureties. The accused is also not allowed to contact the victim or any witnesses and must report to the nearest police station every two months.
The case is scheduled to be mentioned again on September 8, and the accused has already posted bail.
