KOTA KINABALU: A man was sentenced by the Sessions Court here to 12 years' jail and two strokes of the rotan for raping a teenager three years ago.
Shahreyan Syah Lagayu, 30, who appeared before judge Elsie Primus, was found guilty of raping the girl, who was at the time aged 16, in a car at the Likas Sport Complex here, between 10pm and 11.59pm on Nov 10, 2019.
He was charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping.
The court ordered Shahreyan to serve his sentence with effect from the date of arrest on Dec 24, 2019, and he will be placed under police supervision for two years after serving his sentence.
The prosecution called eight witnesses during the trial while four witnesses including the accused testified during the defence stage.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mas Izzaty Lokman prosecuted while counsel Mohd Fadzil Abdul Karim represented the accused.
In mitigation, Mohd Fadzil asked for leniency saying that the accused was a first-time offender and had a mother to look after.
Mas Izzaty, however, urged for a deterrent sentence, taking into consideration the nature and gravity of the offence.
She said the accused had destroyed the victim's dignity and caused her long-lasting trauma.
She said the victim in this case had tried to commit suicide twice after the incident.
She also told the court that the victim was still relying on medication for her trauma.