Man gets 13 years' jail, five strokes for raping stranger
KOTA KINABALU (May 21): A Sessions Court here on Wednesday sentenced an unemployed man to 13 years' jail plus five strokes of the cane for raping a woman Judge Elsie Primus imposed the sentence on Midrick Makales, 30, after he decided to change his not guilty plea to one of guilty under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code when the case came up for first day of trial.
The indictment provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
Midrick was also ordered to undergo rehabilitative counselling and to be placed under police supervision for three years.
He was convicted of raping the 21-year-old woman at a rented room of a shop in Lorong Buah Duku here on January 13.
The court heard that Midrick and the victim were strangers and she never talked to him. Both of them were tenants at the rented rooms of the shop.
In mitigation, the unrepresented Midrick prayed for a lenient sentence and undertook not to commit a similar offence again.
In reply, the prosecution pressed for a heavier sentence on Midrick on the grounds that he will post a threat to society since he had raped a woman, who is stranger.
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