Soldier arrested for allegedly raping girlfriend

LAHAD DATU: Police nabbed a soldier for allegedly raping her 21-year- old girlfriend from Papar on Dec 17.

District police chief ACP Nasri Mansor in a statement yesterday said the 24-year- old suspect and the victim had been lovers since four months ago.

Nasri said on Dec 17, about 6.30pm, the suspect called the woman and asked her to meet him at the ground floor of a shopping mall in Kota Kinabalu.

The suspect later took the woman inside a car, believed to be a Grab car, and went to the Inanam bus station where he bought tickets to Lahad Datu.

“While begging to be let go, the suspect slapped the woman and punched her on her stomach.

“The suspect also threatened to hit the victim if she cried. Upon their arrival in Lahad Datu, the victim was taken to a hotel and forced to have sex with the suspect.

“She was also hit on her hands, thighs and stomach,” he said, adding that the incident occurred about 3am.

According to Nasri, the victim was later released in Sandakan and picked up by her cousin.

She lodged a police report at 2.58pm on Saturday and was referred to the Lahad Datu hospital.

Following an inspection, the victim was confirmed to have new tear on her hymen as well as bruises on her hand and leg.

Acting on the information, the suspect, who was serving in Sarawak, was detained at the Lahad Datu police headquarters about 9pm on Saturday.

Nasir said the case was still being investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code.