A LABOURER has been charged in Kota Bharu with two counts of raping a 13-year-old female student in separate incidents, one occurring in a paddy field, in March.
Muhammad Nasruldin Mohd Faizal, 20, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Judge Zulkifli Abllah at the Sessions Court today and claimed trial.
The first charge alleges that the accused raped the victim, aged 13 years and 11 months, in a paddy field area in Ketereh at 11 pm on March 13.
For the second charge, the accused is alleged to have raped the same victim in the living room of a house in Ketereh at 12 midnight on March 20.
The accused is charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kamarul Hasyime Rosli is prosecuting the case, while the accused is represented by counsel Ahmad Nurie Abd Rahman.
Earlier, Kamarul Hasyime did not offer bail due to the involvement of a minor victim. However, Ahmad Nurie requested a lower bail, stating that his client is merely a labourer.
The court subsequently granted bail at RM10,000 with one surety and imposed additional conditions that the accused must not disturb the victim or prosecution witnesses.
The court has set July 2 for the re-mention of the case.
Nine-year-old alleges sodomy by senior student in religious school
Separately, in Kota Bharu, a nine-year-old boy has alleged he was sodomised by a senior student at a religious educational institution in Kelantan approximately two months ago.
The incident involving the victim, also a student at the centre, came to light after he confided in his mother, leading to a police report and further investigation.
Kelantan Police Chief, Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, stated that a 12-year-old teenager has been detained and is being investigated under the Child Act 2001 and the Juvenile Courts Act 1947.
"Investigations show that the incident occurred within the institution's premises and only once," he said during a press conference after the 'Program Libat Urus Cakna Remaja: Elak Gejala Sosial, Bina Masa Depan' at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) today.
"This case is viewed seriously as it involves same-sex sexual abuse among underage students," he added.
According to him, such cases highlight the need to re-evaluate existing laws, particularly regarding the age of maturity and the reliability of testimony from underage witnesses.
"We are looking into the appropriateness of reviewing Section 113 of the Evidence Act 1950," he remarked.
"Children nowadays mature quickly, grow up fast, and in many cases, they are able to give clear testimony," he stated. - June 3, 2025
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