The High Court here today acquitted and discharged a man of abetment in the rape of his wife, but imposed a longer jail sentence for causing hurt on the woman in order to have sex with her.

Judicial Commissioner Abu Bakar Katar made the ruling in allowing an appeal by the satay shop assistant against his conviction and sentence imposed by the Sessions Court last year.

However, he increased to four years the jail sentence for causing hurt on the woman in order to have sex with her.

Abu Bakar ordered the man to serve the jail sentence from the date of arrest on Jan 1, 2014.

On June 29 last year, the Sessions Court had sentenced the 25-year-old man to six years' jail for abetment in the rape of his wife and a year's jail for causing hurt on the woman to have sex with her.

The man was charged with abetting a friend, who was a juvenile when the offence was committed, to rape his wife in a house in Arau at about 3 pm on Jan 1, 2014.

The charge was made under Section 376 of the Penal Code which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping.

The second charge of causing hurt on his wife in order to have sex with her was also committed at the same place and time.

The offence, under Section 375A of the Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to five years, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif prosecuted, while lawyer Fatin Hayati Abdul Rahman represented the accused.