SEREMBAN: A 47-year-old man was sentenced to serve 18 years in jail after he pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here to a charge of raping his 11-year-old daughter.
Judge Surita Budin also ordered the man to be caned 10 times for the offence.
"I hope this will serve as a lesson for you," she said after delivering her judgment here on Monday (April 10).
The man, a mechanic, was charged with committing the offence just after midnight at a house in Bahau between Dec 20 and 31, 2017.
The accused was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between eight and 30 years.
Offenders are also to be whipped no fewer than 10 times.
The accused also pleaded guilty to a second charge of committing physical sexual assault against the victim four months later.
He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable under Section 16 of the same legislation.
Offenders can be jailed up to 20 years and whipped upon conviction.
He was charged with committing the offence at the same house between April 11 and 20, 2018.
Judge Surita then sentenced the accused to serve 10 years in jail and to be whipped thrice.
She ordered both the jail sentences to run concurrently.
In mitigation, the man pleaded for a lenient sentence as all his four children were in school.
"My wife is only a homemaker and she doesn't know how to drive.
"I also have some medical problems such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma.
"I am truly remorseful for what I did," he said.
According to the facts of the case, the victim only confided in a schoolmate about the rape and sexual assault earlier this month.
They then reported it to a teacher who took the victim to lodge a police report.
Deputy public prosecutor Goh Hsiao Tung urged the court to impose a sentence commensurate with the crimes.
"As a father, he should protect his daughter instead of committing such a heinous crime.
"The rape and physical sexual assaults would surely leave the victim traumatised for years," she added.
