Night market trader accused of incest with stepdaughter

 

The night market trader being led out of the Ipoh Sessions Court after he was charged today.

IPOH: A night market trader has been charged at the Sessions Court with three counts of incest with his 13-year-old stepdaughter.

The 49-year-old was charged under Section 376B(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 30 years but not less than 10 years and whipping upon conviction.

He was accused of committing the offences at his house in Ayer Tawar, near Manjung, in June, July and December last year.

He pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before judge N Priscilla Hemamalini.

The court set March 11 for re-mention of the case pending the chemical and medical reports on the alleged victim.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Waffy Ismail prosecuted while the accused was represented by lawyer Shahrul Nizam Mohd Rabi.

Waffy requested the court not to grant the accused bail as he could potentially “disturb” the girl, who lives with her aunt after her mother passed away in April last year. Her aunt’s house and the accused’s house are nearby.

He said if bail is granted, additional conditions should be imposed, including requiring the accused to report at the nearest police station and forbidding him from approaching the girl.

Shahrul urged the court to allow the accused bail, adding that denying bail was akin to punishing the accused.

He said the court should also consider the fact that the accused’s income had been severely affected by the pandemic and the ongoing movement control order (MCO).

The court allowed the trader bail of RM10,000 for all three charges with one guarantor, and ordered him to report to the nearest police station every month and not to approach the alleged victim. - FMT