MELAKA: A 36-year-old man pleaded guilty at two Sessions Court here on Friday (April 14) to 32 counts of sexual assault and rape against his teenage stepdaughter who is now 16 years old.
The pleas of the accused were recorded in two separate courts on Friday, presided by Judge Mohd Sabri Ismail and Judge Darmafikri Abu Adam, respectively.
Both courts have fixed May 15 for sentencing and no bail was granted to the accused who faces a jail term of up to 830 years and whipping once the sentences are meted out by both the courts.
The accused, who is a swimming coach, had pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape, where the charges were framed under Section 376(2) and Section 376(1) of the Penal Code.
Section 376(2) carries a maximum 30 years jail term and whipping while Section 376(1) carries an imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping.
He also pleaded guilty to 12 counts of sexual assault under under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable under Section 14 of the same Act, and to be read together with Section 16 of the same Act for sexual assault, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping.
The accused also pleaded guilty to eight charges of inserting objects into the victim's private parts under Section 377CA of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term up to 30 years and whipping upon conviction.
All the offences were committed between January 2020 to March 14, 2023, at a house in Taman Maju, Jasin.
On April 9, The Star reported that a couple had been detained at KLIA2 upon returning from Sabah in connection with a police report lodged by the victim.
The 40-year-old biological mother of the teen is still under remand until Saturday (April 15).
