2007 07: Man gets 7 years’ jail for raping underage girlfriend

NST online. Local News. 6/7/07

SHAH ALAM: The law took its course yesterday with the sentencing of farmer Munawar Haris to seven years’ jail for raping his underage girlfriend.

Munawar, 31, an Indonesian, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to three counts of raping the then 15-year-old at 6pm in May, 2005, at a house in Jalan Kubur Cina, and at 7.30pm in June the same year at a house in Kampung Gumit in Kerling, both in Kalumpang.

He was sentenced to seven years’ for each offence. The sentences are to run concurrently from the date of his arrest on Sept 10, 2005. He had earlier claimed trial for all three charges but changed his plea.

The victim, a school drop-out who gave birth to a baby boy in February last year, had testified during trial that she was forced to lodge a police report by her father, who is a policeman. She said her father was furious when he found out that she was pregnant

On Wednesday, the victim, her mother and the toddler were present in court. They affectionately greeted Munawar before he pleaded guilty.

Munawar was seen playing with his son and then speaking to the victim’s mother.

Yesterday, DPP Afizi Othman said Munawar should be given a heavy sentence as statutory rape was a serious offence.

"The fact that the victim is still in love with the accused and that her family is on good terms with him should not be a factor to impose a lenient punishment.

"Although he did plead guilty, the prosecution and the public still consider his act to be inhumane," he told judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof. He proposed that Munawar be sentenced to consecutive jail terms and whipping for each offence.

During mitigation, counsel K. Theivaendran said there was remorse and mutual affinity between the accused and the victim.

"The victim had clearly stated in her testimony that she did not want to turn him in to the police," he said.

Zabariah, in passing the sentence, told Munawar that the act was an abuse to an underage girl.

"Although she was willing and there was no element of violence, the court will have to take into consideration the fact that this is a serious offence," she said.

Zabariah, however, spared him the rotan.