KUCHING: A three-year long relationship developed between a Form 2 student and her teacher, who became her bapa angkat (adoptive father), ended in a nightmare.
The victim, 14, claimed she was raped twice since last month by the primary school teacher, who she knew since she was a Year Six pupil at a school in Siburan near here.
Her plight came to light when she was summoned by her current school’s counsellor to explain her absence from school on Tuesday last week.
After some persuasion, the teenager confided that she had failed to attend school on that day as she was with the 51-year-old suspect.
“The suspect had picked up the victim from her school and took her to a secluded spot in Siburan.
“They were supposed to meet and discuss on the future of their ‘adoptive father-daughter’ relationship, but the meeting ended with the victim being raped by the suspect inside his car.
“The suspect had also told the victim not to tell others about the incident by promising that he would marry her after she completed her secondary school studies,” sources told the New Straits Times.
The victim claimed the first incident occurred during the school holiday last month. The incident, she alleged, also took place inside the suspect’s car at the same location.
The school management later brought the case to the attention of the victim’s parents and advise them to lodge a police report over the matter.
Sources also said the victim’s parents knew the teacher, but was shocked to learn that the suspect had taken advantage of their daughter.
Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Datuk Dev Kumar said a police report was lodged by the victim’s 44-year-old mother at the Siburan police station at 5pm yesterday (Sept 19).
“The suspect was arrested at his house in Tapah, Siburan, a few hours after the report was lodged,” he said.
The police, said Dev, had also seized the car allegedly used by the teacher during the incident to facilitate investigation into the case.
The suspect has been remanded for a week beginning today. The case is being investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code for statutory rape, which carries a maximum of 30 years’ jail and caning upon conviction.