Corpun file 10772

The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 4 March 2003

Man gets 29 years, rotan for Tabung Haji scam

By M. Mageswari

KUALA LUMPUR: An unemployed man was jailed a total of 29 years and ordered to be given 19 strokes of the rotan over the Tabung Haji scam involving RM4.4mil two years ago.

Judge Mohd Zaki Abd Wahab ordered Ahman Khaironi Ahmad, 45, to serve his sentences from yesterday. Ahman Khaironi had on Feb 14 pleaded guilty at a Sessions Court here to 15 counts of cheating, impersonation and forgery involving the Tabung Haji funds.

In delivering his 30-minute judgment, Mohd Zaki said he had to impose a deterrent sentence on Ahman Khaironi in view of public interest.

"The amount involved is not only big but it concerned a public body (Tabung Haji) which is trusted by the people.

"The cheating, which the accused had committed, would have a direct impact on Tabung Haji. The public's perception on the institution had in fact been affected.

"Therefore, whoever commits such an offence should be punished accordingly so that it not only serves as a lesson for the accused but also to would-be offenders," he added.

In mitigation, Ahman Khaironi, who was arrested on Jan 31, this year, begged for a lenient sentence, saying that he has three school-going children and a wife to care for.

"Please give me a chance to be able to lead a new life in future, sir. There is no one to look after my wife and children as my parents are dead. I will thank you for your kindness, sir," added Ahman Khaironi, who was unrepresented.

Earlier, DPP Syed Faisal Syed Amir asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence on Ahman Khaironi, saying that it involved public interest.

He added that the money belonged to Tabung Haji depositors, who had trusted the institution to take care of their investments with the purpose of performing their pilgrimage.

He also asked the court to take into account that Ahman Khaironi had three previous convictions for drug-related offences between 1977 and 1985.

Corpun file 11240

Utusan Express, Kuala Lumpur, 12 March 2003

School dropout gets five years and whipping for rape

KUCHING March 11 - A 17-year-old school dropout, who pleaded guilty to raping a 23-year-old woman at an oil palm plantation last year, was sentenced to five years' jail by the Sessions Court here Tuesday.

Judge Supang Lian also ordered the boy, from Kampung Sebandi Ulu in Asajaya, Kota Samarahan, to be given one stroke of the rotan.

The sentence runs from the date of his arrest on July 10 last year.

His mother and close relatives were present in court, which was closed to the public, during the sentencing.

Supang, presided over the case with two other officers from the Welfare Department.

The teenager admitted raping the woman twice with three others at an oil palm plantation near Kampung Nakong in Asajaya between 9.30 pm and 5 am on May 23 last year.

Six other charges of sodomy, robbery, assault and intimidation which he is also facing with three others were withdrawn.

He had claimed trial with Siang A'en, 34, Zamhari Mahdi, 21, Dahari Usup, 21, to these charges and the rape charge but changed his plea half-way through the trial on Feb 20 and pleaded guilty to rape.

The charge under section 376 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and is liable to whipping, upon conviction.

The trial of the others is proceeding.

© UTUSAN MELAYU (M) BHD., 46M, Jalan Lima Off Jalan Chan Sow Lin, 55200 Kuala Lumpur.

Corpun file 10813

Straits Times, Singapore, 22 March 2003

45 years' jail for dad who raped child from age of 10

ALOR STAR - A girl, who was raped from the age of 10 by her own father, was so naive about sex that she only realised it was wrong three years later during a school lesson.

She found out the truth only when she was in Secondary One in 1999 when a teacher discussed sex during a lesson, according to the Malay Mail.

The girl, who has since died of leukaemia, was forced by her father into committing the acts three times over a three-year period from 1996 to 1998.

It took her two more years to pluck up the courage to report the heinous crime to the police on April 26, 2001.

By that time, she was suffering from leukaemia. She died a year later at age 15 on March 23 last year.

Her father, 42-year-old fisherman Sarib Habib, admitted his guilt at the Alor Star Sessions Court on Wednesday.

Sarib was sentenced to 45 years in jail and 21 strokes of the cane.

He admitted raping the girl when she was 10 in 1996 and twice more when she was 11 and 12 at two different places on Langkawi island.

In December 1999, the girl ran away to live with her sister in Kuala Kedah and told her relatives, including an uncle, about the rapes.