KOTA KINABALU, Oct 3 ― A former athletic coach was jailed 23 years plus two strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here yesterday for two counts of raping a minor.
Judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim imposed the sentences on Mohamad Hassan Rivera, 46, after finding him guilty of the two charges framed under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code.
The indictment carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
On the first charge, the accused was sentenced to 10 years’ jail and ordered to be given one stroke of the cane after he was found to have raped the 15 years and 11 months old victim at a house in Papar on March 18, 2018.
The accused received another 13 years’ imprisonment plus one whipping for his second count of raping the same victim in a room at a sports complex here on March 24, 2018.
However, the court granted the accused a stay of execution pending his appeal to the High Court here with his previous bail amount and conditions being maintained.
The court further ordered for both the jail terms to run consecutively from the date of his conviction.
The prosecution had called 10 witnesses to testify against the accused and the accused, who was represented by counsel Amli Nohin, had produced eight witnesses, including the accused.
In a separate case, the same court called a man to enter his defence for a charge of raping an 11-year-old girl two years ago.
The judge made the order on Aliamat Dullah, 58, after the court ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused under Section 376(2)(e) of the Penal Code.
The alleged offence carries a jail term of up to 30 years and whipping, upon conviction.
He was accused of raping the victim at an unnumbered house in a village in Papar at 1pm in May 2018.
The court fixed November 5 and 6 for the accused, who was defended by counsel Shahlan Jufri, to enter his defence.
The prosecution had called 12 witnesses to give their evidence against Aliamat. ― Borneo Post
