Convicted sexual offender ordered to be arrested

KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here issued an arrest warrant yesterday against a former factory worker who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for committing a sexual offence against a minor three years ago.

Judicial Commissioner Amelati Parnell issued the warrant against Matjan Yusop, 40, after he failed to turn up in court for hearing of his appeal.

Matjan was previously released on a bail of RM10,000 with two local sureties after his application for a stay of execution was allowed pending an appeal.

The court also issued a notice to show cause against the unrepresented appellant’s sureties.

The appeal will be rementioned on June 16.

According to the prosecution, the police went to the appellant’s house at a village in Beaufort but it was empty.

The prosecution further explained that the police had also gone to the appellant’s parents’ alleged house but it was learned that his parents had moved out in 2018.

Since the appellant could not be located, the prosecution had applied for an arrest warrant and a notice to show cause be issued.

On June 20, 2019, the lower court sentenced the appellant to 13 years behind bars under Section 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

The indictment provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.

The appellant was convicted of touching the 12-year-old victim’s chest and rubbing his private parts against her in the living room of a house at a village in Beaufort on Aug 11, 2018.