A 31-YEAR-OLD manual labourer has pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here on Wednesday to a charge of raping his underage sister-in-law at a residence in Kampung Parit Lapis Sayang, Benut, in Pontian, early July last year.
The accused entered the plea after the charge was read before Judge Madihah Zainol, with court interpreters assisting in the proceedings.
According to the charge sheet, the man—who has two children—allegedly committed the offence against the girl when she was 15 years and five months old. The incident reportedly took place at approximately 9am.
He is charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Farah Wahida Shahudin proposed bail of RM20,000, noting that the victim is no longer residing with the accused.
In response, defence counsel Mohamad Isa Mohamad Basir requested a lower sum, citing the accused's unstable income as a village labourer and his responsibilities as a father of two, one of whom suffers from epilepsy.
The court granted bail of RM10,000 with one local surety and imposed three additional conditions. The accused must not contact or intimidate the victim or any prosecution witnesses, must report to the nearest police station once a month, and must surrender his passport to the court, if one exists.
The court has fixed 24 October for case mention and document submission. - September 24, 2025
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