Appeals Court upholds father's 26-year jail sentence for sexually assaulting daughters

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today upheld a former lorry driver's jail sentence of 26 years for sexually assaulting his three underage daughters two years ago.

However, the three-member bench led by Justice Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil allowed the man's appeal for reduction of his whipping from 24 strokes to 16 strokes.

Justice Abdul Jalil said the court was unanimous in finding that the offence committed by the 40-year-old man was serious as it involved his own daughters and that the 26 years' jail sentence imposed on the man by the Klang Sessions Court was reasonable and appropriate.

The bench, which also comprised of Justices Datuk Hanipah Farikullah and Datuk P. Ravinthran, dismissed the man's appeal on the jail sentence.

On the whipping, Justice Abdul Karim said the whipping of 24 strokes imposed on the man was excessive and hence, reduced to 16 strokes.

The man pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court on Dec 12, 2019, to four charges of sexually assaulting his daughters aged 10, nine and eight, between 8 am and 12 noon on Oct 28 2019 at their home in Klang, Selangor.

The Sessions Court sentenced him to a total of 26 years in jail and 24 strokes of rotan.

He lost his appeal against his jail term and whipping in the High Court on Oct 16 last year.

-- BERNAMA