SIBU, Oct 7 — A 32-year-old woman from Bintangor was sentenced to a total of 14 years in jail by the Sessions Court here today for allowing her biological daughter to be sexually abused and for neglecting her son.
The accused pleaded guilty before Judge Musyiri Peet to two amended charges under the Child Act 2001.
For the first amended charge under Section 31(1)(b) of the Act, she was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, with the sentence to run from the date of conviction.
For the second amended charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the same Act, she received a six-year sentence to run consecutively after the completion of the first.
According to the charge sheet, the woman had, between January 2024 and July 2025, at a rented house here, permitted her 12-year-old daughter to be sexually abused.
For the second charge, she was accused of neglecting her seven-year-old son between January 2018 and December 2023 at a rental house in another location here in a manner that was likely to cause him emotional injury.
Based on the facts of the case, on August 17 this year at about 5.30pm, the complainant was informed by the 12-year-old victim that she had been raped by her mother’s boyfriend.
A police report was lodged which led to the accused being arrested on Aug 19.
Investigations revealed that the rape incident occurred in 2024 when the accused allegedly asked the victim to enter a room and blocked the door to allow her boyfriend to commit the act.
A medical examination found old tears on the victim’s hymen.
Investigation also revealed that the accused had neglected her seven-year-old son by failing to register his birth and not sending him to school.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Cynthia Emmelda Jerry prosecuted the case while the accused was unrepresented in court. — The Borneo Post
