KOTA KINABALU: A man who raped and impregnated his stepdaughter was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane.
The 35-year-old stepfather, was charged with 11 counts of raping the girl since she was 13.
The victim is now 14 and seven months into her pregnancy.
The man pleaded guilty before Sessions Court judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan to six counts of raping the girl every month between January and June this year at an unnumbered house in a village in Tuaran district.
However, he pleaded not guilty to five other charges allegedly committed between July and November at the same place.
"I only raped her until June," he said in court.
For each of the first three charges, the court imposed 10 years of imprisonment plus two strokes of the cane, to be served concurrently. The accused was sentenced to another 15 years in prison, plus three strokes of the cane for each of the three remaining charges, also to be served concurrently.
The imprisonment terms of 10 years and 15 years are to be served consecutively, which means the accused will serve 25 years of imprisonment instead of a total of 75 years.
The man was also ordered to undergo police supervision for three years after completion of the imprisonment terms.
Meanwhile, for the five remaining charges, the court ordered the accused to be discharged, not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA), after the prosecution informed the court that they wished to withdraw the cases, as the accused had admitted to the six charges.
In mitigation, the unrepresented accused asked for all his jail sentences to run concurrently.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim urged for a deterrent sentence due to the seriousness of the offences, including the trauma suffered by the girl.
She submitted that the schoolgirl is just 14 years old and is now pregnant. The child will not have a father to care for it after birth.
The accused was arrested on Nov 29, following a police report lodged by the victim herself.
All charges were framed under Section 376(2)(d) of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of between 10 and 30 years and whipping.