ALLEGED RAPIST COMMITS SUICIDE

Farmer allegedly raped, impregnated step-granddaughter

AFARMER sought by police for allegedly raping his step-granddaughter took his own life by consuming pesticides on Thursday.

A team from the Sri Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) found the suspect, 54, lying on the ground in a semi-conscious state near a hut in a padi field in Sembayang here.

Sarawak CID chief Datuk Dev Kumar said the man was frothing at the mouth when he was found about 11pm.

“The suspect was rushed to Sri Aman Hospital by the investigation team. However, he was pronounced dead at the hospital at 5am on Friday.

“Preliminary investigations by the police and hospital indicate that the suspect committed suicide by consuming pesticides,” Dev said in a statement.

Last Thursday, police were informed by the same hospital that a Form Two student had attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the first floor of her school hostel.

A medical examination conducted on the teenager, 14, showed that she was five weeks’ pregnant.

“An initial police inquiry could not determine the identity of the father of the unborn child.

“(But) on Sept 27, (the girl) told a medical social officer at the hospital that she had been raped twice (by her step-grandfather) the previous month.

“Shocked by the admission of the victim, the medical social officer lodged a police report at the Sri Aman police station,” Dev said.

He added that further police investigations revealed that the first incident occurred early last month.

“The suspect had gone to the victim’s hostel to take her home for the weekend.

“Instead of taking her home, he took her to a hut in an oil palm plantation and raped her.

“A week later, the suspect raped the victim in the living room of their house while everyone was asleep.”

Dev said the case, investigated under Section 376B of the Penal Code for rape, was considered solved. “We cannot proceed with the investigation since the only suspect in the case died.”

Preliminary investigations by the police and hospital indicate that the suspect committed suicide by consuming pesticides. DATUK DEV KUMAR Sarawak CID chief