Kota Kinabalu: The High Court here issued a warrant of arrest against a 40-year-old man, who was appealing against his conviction and sentence of 13 years imprisonment for committing physical sexual harassment against his girlfriend’s daughter, when he failed to appear in court Tuesday.
Judicial Commissioner Amelati Parnell issued the warrant on Matjan Yusop following his absence for hearing of his appeal on Tuesday.
The court set June 16 for review of the arrest warrant.
On June 20, 2019 Matjan was found guilty after a full trial of the case.
He was convicted of committing the offence by fondling the 12-year-old girl’s breasts and rubbing his private on the girl at 3am on Aug 11, 2017 in a house in Membakut, Beaufort.
Matjan, however, managed to obtain a stay of execution pending an appeal to the High Court.
Earlier, the prosecution applied for an arrest warrant and a notice to show cause be issued as the appellant failed to be located.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Rustam Sanip informed the court that the police went to Matjan house in a village in Beaufort but it was found to be empty.
The police also went to Matjan’s parents’ house but was informed that his parents had moved out from the house since 2018, said the prosecution. DPP Rustam stood in for DPP Siti Amirah Muhammad Ali.
Matjan was not represented.
The offence under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017 provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and whipping, on conviction.
