KOTA KINABALU: A farmer was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment and ordered to be caned three times for two counts of sexually harassing his 12 year-old niece.
The 34-year-old man was found guilty by Session Court judge Elsie Primus after a full trial.
In her judgement, Elsie said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The man was convicted under Section 14 (a) of Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, upon conviction.
On the first count, the man was sentenced to six years imprisonment and one stroke of the cane for committing the offence between March and April 2019 at 11am, at a house in Kota Marudu district.
He received another seven years imprisonment plus two strokes of the cane for committing a similar offence at the same place on May 7, 2019.
The court ordered the custodial sentence to be run consecutively effective today.
The court further ordered the accused to undergo a rehabilitative programme during his detention pursuant to Section 26 of Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
The accused will be placed under police supervision for three years pursuant to Section 27 of the same Act upon completing his sentence.
Nine prosecution witnesses and four defence witnesses testified during the trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lukman conducted the trial, while counsel Muhamad Amirul Amin represented the accused.