18 years, cane for raping teen at detention centre

KOTA KINABALU: A security personnel from the Federal Special Task Force was jailed 18 years and ordered to be whipped once by the Sessions Court here yesterday for raping a teenage Filipina three years ago.

Apart from that, judge Azreena Aziz further ordered Abd Kahar Liman to pay the victim RM10,000 compensation, in default, six months' jail and to be placed under police supervision for two years.

The judge found the 34-yearold accused guilty of raping the 16-year-old foreign girl at the temporary detention Centre in

Kimanis at midnight in May 2018.

The accused, who was represented by counsel Luke Ressa Balang, was convicted under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code.

The indictment provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.

In her reserved decision, the judge held that the defence had failed to cast a reasonable doubt on the prosecution's case.

However, the accused, who was ordered to serve his jail term with effect from yesterday (February 19), was allowed a stay of his execution pending his appeal to the High Court here.

The court released the accused on a bail of RM10,000, pending his appeal.

This case was first brought to court on March 20, 2019 at the Papar Sessions Court and at that time, the accused, who had claimed trial to the charge, was granted RM10,000 bail deposited with RM5,000 with two local sureties.

Counsel PJ Perira held a watching brief for the victim's family.