PUTRAJAYA, Oct 31 — A mechanic will be behind bars for 27 years after the Court of Appeal denied his request for the jail sentences imposed on him in two separate cases to be served concurrently.

In both the cases, Noor Rizuwan Ahmad, 37, from Seri Kembangan, was also sentenced to be given a total of 20 strokes of the cane.

The man had appealed for a 12-year jail term and 10 strokes of the cane imposed on him in an earlier case for forcing a teacher to perform oral sex on him in a car at the roadside of Jalan Hospital Serdang, Selangor on November 11, 2015, to be served concurrently with the 15-year jail sentence meted out in a second case by another Sessions Court.

In the second case, Noor Rizuwan was sentenced to 10 years jail for molesting a 25-year-old student and another 15 years jail and 10 strokes of rotan for the second charge of inserting his finger into her private part.

He had pleaded guilty to committing the offences and was ordered to serve the jail sentences concurrently, which means he only have to serve 15 years jail. He lost his appeal at the High Court for a lesser jail sentence.

Today, a three-man panel comprising Justices Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi, Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli and Datuk Kamardin Hashim, in dismissing Noor Rizuwan’s appeal, upheld the 15 year jail term and 10 strokes of the cane imposed on him (in the second case).

This means Noor Rizuwan would serve the 15 years jail sentence after he had completed the 12 years jail sentence imposed on him in the earlier case.

Justice Ahmadi, who chaired the panel, said the offences committed by Noor Rizuwan were serious and that his appeal did not have merits.

Deputy public prosecutor Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail objected to the appeal saying it was against the principle of law and involved different victims.

She said the case involved public interest due to similar mode of operation carried out by Noor Rizuwan on the victims. — Bernama