MUAR: A 30-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to receive three strokes of the rotan for sexually assaulting his disabled niece.
The incident occurred while he was picking up the 14-year-old girl from school in Segamat.
The man, a father of two and self-employed, pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today after the charges were read to him through an interpreter.
He was charged under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and caning.
According to the charges, the assaults took place between 2pm and 3.30pm over a period from September to Oct 3.
The case came to light when the victim's mother reported the incident to the police on Oct 6, after noticing her daughter's unusual behaviour and reluctance to attend school.
After much persuasion, the girl revealed the details of the assaults that had occurred while riding on the motorcycle with her uncle.
The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Danial Munir, while the accused was unrepresented.
After considering the plea and arguments from both sides, the court imposed a five-year prison sentence, effective from the date of arrest on Oct 6, and three strokes of the rotan.
The court also mandated that the accused undergo counselling and be subject to police supervision upon completion of his sentence, in accordance with Sections 26 and 27 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.