TAWAU: A 34-year-old foreigner suspected of raping an underage girl was arrested in the Brumas plantation area around 9pm on Thursday.
Tawau District Police Chief ACP Jasmin Hussin said the arrest was made by a team from the District Criminal Investigation Division (BSJD), Bombalai police station and auxiliary police.
He said a 17-year-old girl lodged a police report alleging that her 16-year-old friend had been raped by the suspect, who works as a plantation labourer.
The incident is believed to have happened around 10.30pm on Wednesday in the Brumas area and was reported by the victim when she visited the complainant’s house.
Jasmin said the victim informed the complainant that she was raped by a man she knew while at her cousin’s house, who is also the complainant’s neighbour.
The complainant then decided to lodge a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years and caning.
In a separate case, a 26-year-old foreigner was arrested in Pekan Merotai Besar on the same day for allegedly stalking and filming a woman in her rented room.
Jasmin said the victim realised she was being recorded and screamed for help before lodging a police report, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The case is being investigated under Section 507A of the Penal Code for stalking and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not possessing valid identification documents.
