KOTA KINABALU: A man charged with raping his teenage stepdaughter who eventually became pregnant has been sentenced to a total of 75 years' jail.
The 35-year-old solid waste disposal worker pleaded guilty to six out of 11 charges before Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, who also sentenced him to 15 strokes of the cane.
He was discharged but not acquitted of the remaining five charges, which the prosecution led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim had decided to drop.
The accused was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, which carries imprisonment for a term of eight to 30 years, along with whipping.
The court was told that the abuse began when the victim was just 13 years old and continued until recently.
He allegedly assaulted the victim, who is still schooling, monthly from January to June 2024. She is now seven months' pregnant.
He was arrested on Nov 29 in Tuaran after the victim filed a report against him.
During mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency.
However, Nurul Shafeerah urged for a harsher sentence, stressing the severe trauma inflicted on the victim and the case's significance to public interest.
The charges were grouped into four cases – three charges in both the first and second cases, while the third and fourth cases held the remaining five charges.
In the first case, he received a sentence of 10 years and two strokes of the cane for each charge, while in the second case, the Court sentenced him to 15 years' jail and three lashes for each charge in the second case.
The sentences for each charge in the first and second cases will run concurrently, meaning the longest sentence from each case will apply.
However, the sentences for the two cases will be served consecutively, so the total time served will be the sum of both cases.
