Sexual crimes against children, punishment should be a deterrent

The 48-year jail sentence and 24 strokes of the cane imposed by the Court for Sexual Crimes Against Children on a father who committed 623 counts of sexual offences on his daughter would hopefully be a lesson to the public.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said stressed that nobody was above the law in this country.

“The public is very affected by this case as the despicable act was committed regardless of time and place.

“The accused was supposed to protect the victim, but instead he betrayed the trust between a father and child, leaving deep effects of physical injury and trauma,” Azalina said in a statement issued in Kuala Lumpur today.

Court for Sexual Crimes Against Children imposed the sentence after the accused pleaded guilty to 591 counts of sodomy 30 counts of physical sexual contact with his eldest daughter, one count of rape and one count of sexual abuse on the 15-year-old victim.

The case made history as being a sexual offence case with the most number of charges against an individual in this country.

Azalina said the special court and the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 were timely and had a big impact on society.

She said 293 cases had been recorded at the Court for Sexual Crimes Against Children since it was set up on June 22 until Aug 31 this year.

She said 36 cases had been resolved while the rest were still at the mention and trial stages.

“I want to thank the Chief Justice and the Chief Registrar’s Office of the Federal Court of Malaysia for their commitment in ensuring that cases brought to the Court for Sexual Crimes Against Children are resolved in less than one year,” she said, reiterating the government’s commitment to extend the court to the whole country in stages.

- Bernama