29-04-2025
Storekeeper charged with raping teen girl
GEORGE TOWN: A supermarket storekeeper pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to two charges of committing sexual assault and raping an underage teenage girl in March.
The accused, 20, requested to be tried after both charges were read out by the court interpreter before Judge Juraidah Abbas.
He was charged with committing sexual assault against a 16-year-old girl at an apartment in Tanjung Tokong here between 1am and 6am in mid-March.
He was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping, if convicted.
For the second charge, he was accused of raping the victim at the same location and time, under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years' imprisonment and whipping, if found guilty.
Deputy public prosecutor S. Preeya Darrsini offered bail of RM10,000 for both charges with one Malaysian surety.
However, the accused, who was unrepresented by a lawyer, requested minimum bail on the grounds that he worked as a storekeeper earning RM1,800 a month, and that his father, who would be paying the bail money, worked as a security guard.
The court allowed the accused bail of RM8,000 with one surety for both charges and set June 13 for mention of the case and appointment of counsel.
