Teen’s family seeks maximum punishment
SHAH ALAM: The family of a teenage girl, who was almost attacked by an escaped robbery-cum-rape suspect in Kampung Baru Hicom in Section 26 last week, wants the court to mete out the maximum possible punishment to the man.
This follows last Friday’s court case where Indonesian illegal immigrant Rahim Muhamad Pugawan, 24, pleaded guilty to six charges, which included robbery, rape and escaping from police custody before Klang Sessions judge Surita Budin.
Surita fixed July 20 for sentencing and the family hopes Rahim does not get away lightly.
The 14-year-old victim’s oldest brother said she was recovering from the dark episode, which took place at their home in the village on Tuesday, 17 hours after the suspect broke out from the Klang Utara police headquarters.
The accused, who had his trousers down to his knees, had tried to rape the girl as she made her way to her room from a toilet outside the house at 6.40am.
“My sister, the youngest of six, is traumatised by the incident. She cried for two days after the incident. She is much better now, but is still shaken.
“We try to distract her and do not leave her alone. Hopefully, she will recover soon,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
He urged the court not to let the accused off lightly as he posed a danger to society.
“My family is grateful that nothing happened to my sister. But justice must be served for the other victims he has robbed and raped.
“The accused is notorious and must be taught a lesson.”
Rahim, known as the “ball bearing rapist” as he had three ball bearings implanted in his private parts, was first arrested on June 13 after robbing and raping a housewife in Kampung Rantau Panjang in Klang.
He was later linked to another, case where he had robbed and outraged the modesty of a woman.
He was said to have attempted to rape that woman too, but had been fought off.
On June 19, at about 3pm, he escaped from the Klang Utara police headquarters through a toilet window at the Criminal Investigation Department.
He had tied his prison lock-up trousers to the toilet window grille and used it to pry open the bars and escape.
A policeman at the guard post saw the accused running and chased after him, but he escaped into a nearby jungle.
A manhunt was launched and at 1am the next day, a team of 50 policemen and the General Operations Force (GOF) surrounded the village, 40km from the district police headquarters.
The suspect was arrested at 7am.
Selangor deputy police chief Datuk Ab Rashid Ab Wahab had, on Saturday, said the policeman guarding the suspect had been suspended.
Investigations on how the escape occurred are underway.