Swimming class instructor to face 32 counts for raping his stepdaughter

MELAKA - A swimming class instructor who is still in remand for allegedly raping his stepdaughter will be charged in the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court, here, tomorrow.

Melaka police chief Datuk Zainol Samah said the 36-year-old suspect will face 32 charges, among them were rape, sexual assault and using sex objects on a 16-year-old victim over the past three years.

He said the suspects will face 12 charges of rape under Section 376(2) and Section 376(1) of the Penal Code.

"The investigation had been completed and has been referred to the State Court Director yesterday to complete the prosecution.

"He will also be charged with 12 counts of sexual assaults according to Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017," he said in a statement, here, today.

He added that the suspect was also charged with eight counts of having sex using objects under Section 377 CA of the Penal Code.

He said Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code provides a maximum 20 years imprisonment and whipping, if convicted for each charge, while Section 376 (2) carries no less than 10 years of imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years of prison term with whipping.

"While Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017 carries imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping.

"For every offence of having sex using an object, according to Section 377CA of the Penal Code it can be sentenced to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 30 years of prison and whipping, if convicted," he added.

He said the suspect's wife was also remanded since April 9 and has become a prosecution witness in the case

In the investigation carried out by the police, the victim claimed she was raped by her stepfather since the beginning of January 2020.

He said the incident happened while the victim was sleeping.

"At the time of the incident, the suspect's wife was sleeping in a room in their house," he said.

On April 9, Sinar Harian had reported that a couple was remanded for seven days to help investigation into a teenage girl rape case.

The arrest was made after the victim, who was previously reported missing, lodged a report stating she was raped by her stepfather.

The victim's mother, who is the suspect's wife, was also arrested because she was believed to have known about her husband's heinous act.