Warrant of arrest issued against rape accused for no show in court

MIRI: The Sessions Court issued a warrant of arrest against a man accused of raping a minor, for failing to appear in court yesterday.

Judge Steve Ritikos ordered that the warrant of arrest be served on Feb 2. Wan Syazwan Hafizy Wan Samsul, 23, from Kampung Dagang, Sepupok, Niah is charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term not less than 10 years and not more than 30 years and whipping, upon conviction.

According to the brief facts of the case, the accused allegedly raped a 13-year- old girl, in a hotel room here at 8pm on Nov 6, last year. Prosecuting was ASP Koy Kok Ping.

In an unrelated case, two friends were each issued a warrant of arrest by a magistrate’s court here for failing to appear for mention of the case on a charge of selling illegal lottery to the public.

Josephine Junit, 20, from Sg Melinau, Kapit and Emy Sudin, 25, from Bandar Baru Permyjaya are charged under Section 4A (a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act, 1953, read together with Section 34 of the same Act.

They could each be fined not less than RM20,000 and not more than RM200,000 and imprisonment not exceeding five years on conviction. They allegedly sold illegal lottery to the public at 3.30pm on Nov 2, 2016 at a shop in Emart Commercial Centre here.

The prosecutor ASP Mary Ong said the case was fixed for mention yesterday but both accused failed to appear in court. She thus requested that a warrant of arrest be issued on them.

Magistrate Zuraini Ali Musa approved the application and ordered a warrant of arrest on the accused, which must be served on Jan 31.