SARATOK: For almost three years, a teenager had kept secret her torment of being raped by her father.
Last week, however, the 15-year-old, unable to hold in the pain, finally opened up about her ordeal to her school counselor.
Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Dev Kumar said the victim claimed she had been raped seven times by her father since she was 12.
"The teenager claimed the first incident took place at a hut inside an oil palm plantation in the district.
"The other incidents allegedly took place at her house at a village in Kabong," said Dev.
Acting on the complaint lodged by the school's counselor, police arrested the victim's father, 48, at the family home about 11am today.
Police will obtain a remand order against the suspect, who is a farmer, tomorrow.
"The victim has been sent for a medical examination at the Sibu Hospital," he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 376B of the Penal Code, which upon conviction carries a maximum 30 years' jail and whipping.
Earlier today, the Sessions Court in Kota Samarahan had sentenced a 57-year-old farmer and his three sons to a total of 335 years' jail for committing incest, involving the former's two granddaughters.
Each of the accused, who included the victims' father and two uncles, were also sentenced to 24 strokes of the rotan each after they pleaded guilty to all 13 charges of committing the offence between June 11 until last month.