A STEPFATHER was arraigned in the Sessions Court in Kota BHaru today on three counts of physically assaulting his underaged stepdaughter, with incidents alleged to have occurred in 2023 and as recently as 11 April.
The 54-year-old labourer pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to all three charges read before Judge Zulkifli Abllah.
According to the first to third charges, the accused is alleged to have committed physical sexual assault against the 15-year-old female teenager at a house in Kampung Merkang, near Pasir Puteh in 2023 and at 9 am on 11 April 2025.
The charges were framed under Section 14 (b), Section 14 (d), and Section 14 (c) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792) and are punishable under Section 14 of the same Act read together with Section 16 (1) of the same Act.
If convicted, the accused faces imprisonment of not more than 20 years and whipping.
The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Hajar Mazlan, and the accused was not represented by counsel.
Earlier, Siti Hajar did not propose bail for the accused due to the seriousness of the case.
The court denied the accused bail and set 25 November as the date for re-mention of the case. - October 26, 2025
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