MUAR: A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and five strokes of the cane today after he pleaded guilty to molesting his 16-year-old daughter.
The man expressed remorse when his plea was recorded before judge Sayani Mohd Nor at the Sessions Court here.
"I deeply regret my actions. I hope the court considers the impact of this sentence on my family. I have to pay rent for my shop and I have five children to support," he said.
He was accused of molesting his daughter at their home in Kluang on Dec 1 at 12.30am.
He was charged under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and caning.
He was also charged under Section 16 of the same act, with added penalties of up to five years in prison and at least two strokes for each offence.
The abuse was revealed when a school counsellor noticed signs of distress in the victim during a mental health screening. The victim disclosed the incident, which led to her mother lodging a report on Dec 3, resulting in the man's arrest the same day.
Deputy public prosecutor Diyana Najihah Muhamed Fauzi led the prosecution, while the defendant was unrepresented.
The court sentenced him to eight years in prison and three strokes of the cane for the first charge, and three additional years and two strokes for the second charge, with the sentences to run consecutively.
The court also ordered the defendant to undergo counselling during his incarceration and to be placed under police supervision for two years following his release.