Police probing nine for rape

Army personnel allegedly took turns to assault underage girl

JOHOR BARU: Police have detained nine army personnel over the alleged rape of an underage girl in Kluang.

The 17-year-old girl is now nine weeks pregnant.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said the victim, a waitress, claimed she was raped by a group of nine men.

“She alleged the incident took place at a hotel in Kluang in December last year where all of the suspects took turns to rape her,” he said, adding that the victim lodged a police report on Feb 22.

Comm Mohd Khalil told a press conference yesterday that military police from Kem Mahkota handed the suspects, aged between 19 and 24, to the police for questioning.

He said the nine army personnel have been remanded until March 1 to help with the investigations.

The case is being investigated under Section 375B of the Penal Code for gang rape, which carries a maximum 30 years jail term upon conviction.

In an unrelated matter, police detained 129 people between Feb 9 and Feb 24 for illegal gambling activities.

“Our target was simple, put an end to all illegal gambling dens by focusing either on individuals or syndicates that organised such unhealthy activities.

“From the total number of arrests, 101 were local men, 11 Indonesians, eight Bangladeshis, one Pakistani, seven local women and one female Indonesian.”