High Court upholds acquittal of senior cop over rape charge

KUCHING: The High Court yesterday upheld a decision by the Sessions Court to discharge and acquit a senior police officer from a rape charge.

The decision was made after the court ruled that the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal of Supt Ernest John was without merit.

Ernest, 52, had been accused of raping a 30-year- old woman at her apartment in Tabuan Dayak between April and May 2016, and was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code.

According to the brief facts of the case, the complainant had applied to join the police force that year and subsequently entered into a relationship with Ernest, but that their relationship turned sour when she failed to secure entry to the force.

In a separate case, a 29-year- old technician was fined RM2,000 after he pleaded guilty to possessing drugs in a Magistrate’s Court here yesterday.

Tsai Kian Tak pleaded guilty to an amended charge under Section 12( 2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 to possessing 13.3g of Ecstasy.

He was originally charged with trafficking 303.64g of drugs mixed with powdered fruit juice at the rear of a house in Jalan Lapangan Terbang 11.30am on Oct 10, 2018. Following his arrest, he had been on remand until yesterday as drug trafficking is a non-bailable offence.

Counsel Lim represented Tsai. Lian Kee