Duo jailed 19 years each for rape of 15-year-old girl

SARIKEI: Two men who raped a 15-year- old girl in Kapit sometime in December last year were sentenced to 19 years’ jail each after they pleaded guilty to the charge framed under Section 375B of the Penal Code.

Judge Maris Agan meted out the sentence, to take effect from Tuesday, after taking into consideration the facts of the case and mitigation of the two accused – Edwin Chendang, 24, and Arion Bring Adrian Mackenzie, 20.

Edwin, the first accused, pleaded for leniency saying he was being cooperative in the investigation by surrendering himself to the police after his identity was advertised and also the fact that his wife would deliver in March next year.

Arion, the second accused, said he was remorseful and that he had an elderly sick grandfather to take care of.

Maris however said he could not tolerate the kind of offence they committed and that they showed no respect for women.

According to the facts of case read by DPP Mohd Shazmeer Zamahari, the rape was committed inside a car parked somewhere along Jalan Melekun in Kapit between 11pm on Dec 28, 2015 and 2.49am the next day.

The victim and her friend were said to have been invited to a pub for a drink by the two accused whom they had just befriended around 11pm on Dec 28, 2015.

Later, the two accused invited the victim and her friend for a ride in a car and along the way the victim’s friend asked the second accused (driver) to stop as she wanted to ease herself.

Thereafter, as they continued on, the victim asked the second accused to stop saying she also wanted to ease herself. Her friend also went out to ease herself again.

While she was out easing herself the two accused and the victim rode off without her (the friend) until they came to a spot along Jalan Melekun where they took turns to rape her.

After that, they resumed driving and warned her not to tell anyone about the incident. They also promised to help her if she had any financial problems.

When they arrived at the rented house of the second accused, the victim managed to escape while the duo were walking up to the top floor of the house.

Along the way she came across a police patrol team and narrated her ordeal.

Inspector Firdaus Mahadi who led the team helped the girl to lodge a police report at 2.49am on Dec 29, 2015.

Acting on information given by the victim, the police arrested the two accused who were positively identified by the victim during an identification parade.

A medical check-up later confirmed that the DNA of the two accused was found in the victim’s private part.