LANGKAWI: A man was sentenced to five years in prison by the Sessions Court here today for abusing his 16-year-old daughter in June.
Judge Allan Suman Pillai meted out the sentence on the 55-year-old man after he pleaded guilty to the charge read to him by the court interpreter.
The court ordered him to maintain good behaviour for two years without bail and to perform 39 hours of community service within six months after completing his prison term.
According to the charge sheet, the man was alleged to have mistreated or exposed his daughter to harm likely to cause physical and emotional injury.
The offence was committed at an apartment complex in Kuah at 8am on June 30.
The charge falls under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum fine of RM20,000, a jail term of up to 10 years or both.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Farhan Aliff Ahmad led the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer Mohd Hakim Hamran.
According to the facts of the case, the man scolded the victim, pulled her hair, choked her and slammed her head against a wardrobe in her room after she failed to attend school.
The victim lodged a police report, leading to the arrest of the man at his home at 4.45pm two days after the incident.