Kota Kinabalu: A 49-year-old man, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to get 10 strokes of the cane for raping his own daughter, wished to meet his daughter to apologise for his wrongdoing.
The man who pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, told the court during his mitigation that if he could, he wished to see his daughter and asked forgiveness from her.
He also told the court that he really regretted his mistake.
The man had committed incest against the 13-year and three-month-old girl during the night of March 28 this year at a house in Papar.
He was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code carries a jail term of between eight and 30 years, and whipping of at least 10 strokes of the cane, on conviction.
The court ordered the man to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest and undergo rehabilitation counselling for two years while serving the jail term.
After completing the sentence, the man was ordered placed under police supervision for three years.
In asking for leniency, the man informed the court that he has one child who is still schooling.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Franscis urged the court to impose a heavy on the accused as a deterrent not only to the man but would-be offenders in the society.
Bryan further submitted that as a father, the man should be bound to ensure her well‑being and not to destroy her entire life, adding that the incident would definitely inflict profound trauma on the victim.
Moreover, Bryan said the child victim being a young female would now have to live on under the stigma of being a victim of rape by her own father.
He also submitted that such case was a serious offence which is increasing at an alarming rate in Sabah.
The court heard that the incident came to light when the victim told her aunty that her father had raped her.
The aunty then brought the victim to lodged a police report against the man.
Investigation revealed that on the said day, the father entered the room of the house and raped the victim.
The victim could not do anything as she was in fear at that time.
