Corpun file 3582 at www.corpun.com
New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, 17 March 1999
Rotan for Muslim sexual offenders
JOHOR BARU, Tues. - Muslims convicted of sexual offences such as sodomy, lesbianism and extra-marital sex, among others, will get the rotan, a Johor State executive councillor said today.
The move was to check growing social problems and moral decadence in the State, said Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Kadir Annuar.
Whipping and higher fines were provided for under the amended Syariah Criminal Procedure Code Enactment 1997 and the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997 gazetted last month, he told a Press conference.
The increased penalties, covering seven offences, also apply to those spreading deviationist teachings, and pimps. The amendments "give extra bite in protecting Islam's sanctity and upholding human dignity." - Bernama
© Copyright 1998, The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad. All Rights Reserved.
Corpun file 3503 at www.corpun.com
Daily Express, Kota Kinabalu, 20 March 1999
Cane, jail for raping minor
TAWAU: A Bugis was jailed nine years and ordered caned four times for statutory rape.
Udin Bacho, 20, admitted before Sessions Court Judge See Mee Chun to raping the 14-year-old girl at Bergosong between Nov 1998 and Mar 1999.
Prosecuting Officer ASP Lukas told the court that sometime in Nov 1998 the girl followed Udin to Bergosong without the knowledge of her parents.
He said Udin had sex with the girl while they were living together at Bergosong. Later they went Sungai Limau bordering Indonesia to wed but the marriage was not in accordance with the Islamic marriage laws.
After the wedding Udin worked at a cocoa plantation at Sungai Limau.
However,on Mar 1 the girl's father located her at Bergosong and brought her home to Lahad Datu.
After learning his daughter had been raped several times by Udin, he took her to a police station here to lodge a report.
The girl was sent to the hospital and the examining doctor confirmed that penetration had occurred.
Udin was charged under Section 376 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between five and 20 years plus whipping upon conviction.
Copyright © Daily Express, Sabah, Malaysia
Corpun file 3481 at www.corpun.com
The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 31 March 1999
Appeal against death sentence upheld**
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Court yesterday dismissed an appeal by the prosecution against the Court of Appeal's decision to quash and set aside a death sentence imposed on a Nigerian rice mill supervisor for trafficking in 2,840.3gm of heroin.
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Chong Siew Fai, who sat with judges Mohd Dzaiddin Abdullah and Abu Mansor Ali, upheld the Feb 7 decision of the Court of Appeal which substituted the death sentence with life imprisonment for possession of the drugs.
Court of Appeal judges Datuk Shaik Daud, Gopal Sri Ram and Datuk VC George had ordered the sentence against Sochima Okoye, 30, effective from the date of arrest on Nov 30, 1990, and ordered him to be whipped 12 times.
Okoye, from Lagos, had appealed against the decision of the Kangar High Court, which on Jun 30 last year convicted him of trafficking in the heroin at the Royal Customs and Excise office in Padang Besar on Nov 30, 1990.
Originally, the same High Court acquitted him of the charge without calling for defence on Nov 15, 1993.
On appeal by the Public Prosecutor to the Supreme Court, a retrial was ordered.
Karpal Singh appeared for Okoye while DPP Stanley Augustin appeared for the Public Prosecutor.
Copyright © 1999 Star Publications (M) Bhd All rights reserved
** [NOTE: On the KL Star's website the headline for this item read "Appeal against death sentence dismissed", but this was clearly a subediting error. - CF]
