A WELDER was sentenced to six years in prison and two strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to raping an underage acquaintance in a forested area last month.
Herwan Abdul Rani, 34, entered the plea after the charge was read out before Sessions Court judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid.
The court also ordered him to be placed under police supervision for one year.
According to the charge, Herwan raped the victim, a Form Two student, in a forested area near Taman Kesang Bayu, Tangkak, between midnight and 1.30am on Oct 23.
The offence was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Amirah Tasnim Saleh conducted the prosecution, while Herwan was unrepresented.
The court was told that police received a report from the victim’s mother alleging that her daughter had been raped by a man she knew.
Initial investigations found that the victim and Herwan had known each other for about a month. - November 2, 2026