Borneo Bulletin, BSB, 3 January 1997

Brunei man extorts hostel boys

A 21-year-old man who went around extorting money from young boys at a hostel in Tutong was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

The Bandar Seri Begawan Magistrates Court also ordered that Hj Emran bin Hj Metusin receive seven strokes of the rotan.

Hj Emran was jointly charged with Mohd Zain bin Asaan and Aidy Zahrin Hj Mustapha on seven charges of extortion two years ago.

Both Mohd Zain and Aidy however have denied the charges and claimed trial.

Insp Hjh Norputemah, prosecuting, told Magistrate Hairolani that the three of them went to Asrama Sekolah Ma'had Islam, a boys' hostel in Tutong, after midnight on August 7.

Emran had a metal spring which he wielded as a weapon to threaten a boy for cash. He pointed the weapon at the boy's stomach and asked: "Life or death?"

Thus confronted, the frightened victim surrendered $1 to Emran. But his ordeal was not yet over as he was then made to take Emran around the hostel, going from one room to another extorting cash.

From seven boys that night, Emran managed to run away with $59.

The students however lodged a report and subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the three.

The trial for Mohd Zain and Aidy, who have denied involvement, will be heard in April this year.

Borneo Bulletin, BSB, 31 January 1997

Taxi driver jailed for rape

A local taxi driver who raped a teenaged girl on two occasions in Tawau recently will now spend the next 10 years in jail plus six strokes of the rotan meted out by the Tawau Sessions Court.

Sessions Court judge See Mee Chun found Zainudin Mohd Salim, 20, guilty of raping the 16-year old girl twice at a roadside in Kampung Sungai Buaya in Semporna on January 13.

He was jailed for 10 years and ordered whipped three times on each charge, the court ordered the prison terms to run concurrently from yesterday.

Prosecuting officer Insp Habebah Abd Bakar told the court that Zainudin was arrested in Kampung Sungai Toho following a report lodged by the girl's mother.

Relating the incident, Insp Habebah said at about 6pm on that day, Zainudin offered to give the girl, who worked as an attendant at a petrol kiosk, a ride home.

Instead of sending the girl home, Zainudin took her to Jalan Bukit Miri and raped her in some bushes at around 7pm. Zainudin again raped her at around 12 midnight before leaving her by the roadside.

The girl walked home and immediately related her ordeal to her mother who accompanied her to the police station to make the report.