Rambo Bentong ordered to enter denfence

The High Court here today ordered a serial rapist, Rabidin Sati, to enter his defence on a charge of raping and murdering a teenage girl five years ago.

Judge Datuk Abdul Karim Ab Rahman made the ruling after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in raising a prima facie case against Rabidin.

Rabidin, 43, from Kampung Libang Ulu, Tambunan, Sabah, is charged with murdering Annie Kok Yin Cheng, 17, between 11.30pm on March 7, 2009 and 1.50pm on March 8, 2009 at Lot 4168 Kampung Ketari Bentong, Bentong.

The offence, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the death sentence, if found guilty.

The man, also known as "Rambo Bentong", is also charged with raping the victim, to the point of causing death, at the same place and time.

The charge, under Section 376(4) of the same law, carries the death sentence or jail of up to 30 year and caning.

Rabidin, following a discussion with his lawyer, Richard Bong Chong Fook, told the court that he would testify under oath from the dock.

Abdul Karim then set April 2 for Rabidin to enter his defence.

Earlier, in his judgment, Abdul Karim said from medical examination conducted, the cause of the victim's death was the slash on her neck and that there were semen stains on her private part, as well as on the clothing which she wore on that day.

"The semen stains on the victim clearly showed that on the day of the incident, the accused was the last person with the victim...

"I found that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima face for the two charges," he added.

Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Siti Hajar Mustaffa.

On Feb 5 last year, Rabidin, an unemployed, was sentenced to a jail sentence of 115 years and 50 lashes of the cane after he pleaded guilty at the Raub Sessions Court on four counts of rape and one count of unnatural sex on four female victims aged between eight and 17.

Later, on March 21 the same year, the Raub Sessions Court sentenced him to 18 years in jail after he pleaded guilty to attacking and injuring Constable Mohd Suhaimi Md Razali, 24, with a parang at a house addressed 43, Taman Shahbandar Husin, Bentong at about 6pm on Nov 14, 2012.