MUAR: A man was today charged in the magistrates’ court with raping a teenage girl who had been reported missing in Kepong before being found in Batu Pahat on Sunday.
The accused, Goh Sek Loong, 46, pleaded guilty as soon as the charge was read by the interpreter.
However, magistrate Suzana Mokhtar rejected the plea, deeming it unsafe as the man appeared to be in an unstable condition.
“The accused’s guilty plea is not safe to accept.
“The manner in which the answer (plea) was given is also unacceptable,” she said.
The accused, who is a divorcee, allegedly raped the 15-year-old student at a homestay unit in Batu Pahat on the night of July 26.
For this, the accused was charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and caning upon conviction.
The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Diyana Najihah Muhamed Fauzi, while the accused was unrepresented.
Court set Aug 4 for the submission of documents and the appointment of a lawyer, in addition to the bail status.
It was reported that a missing teenager was found safe in Batu Pahat on July 22.
The Batu Pahat district police headquarters located the teenage girl based on information from the public before she was taken to Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital for further examination.
The teenager was reported missing after her grandfather dropped her off at a secondary school in Taman Ehsan, Kepong, last Wednesday.
Her disappearance was only noticed around 12.30pm when her grandfather went to pick her up.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
