Project manager charged with raping 14-year-old girlfriend

 

A construction site project manager was charged at the Kota Bharu Sessions Court today with raping his 14-year-old girlfriend last week.

The accused, Syazwan Afiq Shariff, pleaded not guilty when the charges against him were read out by an interpreter before judge Ahmad Bazli Bahruddin.

The 24-year-old was accused of raping the girl at a house in Kampung Kubang Tuman, Jalan Pengkalan Chepa in Kota Bharu at about 5am on Oct 15.

He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping if convicted.

The case was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Fariz Abdul Hamid while the accused was represented by lawyer Roshayati Hassan.

Earlier, Fariz did not offer any bail because the accused had committed a serious offence against a minor.

Meanwhile, Roshayati applied for a low bail to be imposed on her client, stating that the accused promised not to disturb the victim if given bail.

“The accused’s family, especially the father, has given an assurance that the accused will not contact and harass the victim after this. It is understood that the victim was also taken in by her uncle and now lives away from her family.

“The accused’s father, who is a contractor, is also willing to pay the bail set by the court,” she said.

Bazli allowed the accused bail of RM15,000 in one surety, including the additional condition of not disturbing the victim as well as reporting to the nearest police station every month.

The court also set Dec 2 for re-mention of the case. - Mkini