Corpun file 18782

Borneo Bulletin, Bandar Seri Begawan, 2 February 2007

12 yrs, 12 strokes for abduction, rape

By Malai FadleyRizal and Rol Ezam

A 28 year-old local man was convicted and sentenced on Wednesday to 12 and a half years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane following a trial for abducting a woman, raping her, stealing her handbag and jewellery, causing hurt by repeatedly punching, slapping and stomping the victim and wrongfully restraining her.

High Court Judge Hairolarni Hj Abd Majid said the defendant's actions in abducting the 22-year-old Filipino victim, working here as a waitress, had put her in great fear and apprehension.

The Judge added that it also shows that the defendant is a violent man and assaulted his victim in pursuit of his own gratification and highlighted the assault on the victim as an aggravating factor.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ng, the victim was threatened by the defendant with a parang and was forced to get into his car on June 22, last year.

The defendant then tied the victim's hands with a mobile phone earpiece, gagged her mouth and covered her head with a jacket. He then drove to see a person who later testified in court as a prosecution witness saying that he saw a woman in the defendant's car with her face covered.

The defendant later drove to the Terunjing and Kg Bayut Muslim Cemetery and raped the victim on top of a tombstone and stole her jewellery and handbag.

The victim managed to escape from the defendant and ran to the road, stopped a car and begged to take her to Berakas Police Station where she lodged a report.

Copyright © 2007 Brunei Press Sdn Bhd. All right reserved.