MAN CHARGED WITH 2 COUNTS OF INCEST

Court rejects his claim that daughter wants to retract report against him

A38-YEAR-OLD father’s claim that his daughter, 18, wished to retract her report that they had committed incest was rejected at the Sessions Court here yesterday.

The accused, from Bukit Katil, made the request during mitigation before judge Norma Ismail after he claimed trial to two counts of having sex with his daughter.

“I wish to tell the court that my daughter wants to retract her report against me.”

He was charged with committing incest with his eldest daughter, who was then 16, at midnight in November 2015 at their home in Jalan Saujana 3/7, Taman Saujana, Bukit Katil.

The unemployed man was charged with committing incest with the same daughter at the same location at 12.30am on Nov 14 last year.

The victim is the eldest of four siblings.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Azri Zakaria told the court that no indication of a retraction was in the investigation papers.

“The charges are for incest, irrespective of whether there is a retraction of the report against the accused.

“It is the right of the prosecution to proceed with the case,” said Azri, who had proposed no bail as incest was a non-bailable offence.

Norma agreed with the prosecution and fixed Dec 21 for mention.

The accused was unrepresented.

The charge is punishable under Section 376B(1) of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum of 30 years’ jail and is liable to caning.