Bernama reported that a three-judge panel comprising Justices Azman Abdullah, Azmi Ariffin and Noorin Badaruddin also upheld the two strokes of the rotan previously imposed by the sessions court on the 33-year-old man.

In dismissing the man’s final appeal, Azman said the victim’s testimony was credible and that there was no reason for her to fabricate evidence. He also said the sentence of eight years’ imprisonment was appropriate.

He said the High Court had not erred in upholding the sessions court’s sentence and conviction of the man for the offence.

The man, who had been out on bail of RM20,000 pending his appeal, was taken into custody today to begin serving his sentence.

The offence took place in late January 2020 inside a car in Masai, Johor. The victim, then 15 years old, was reportedly walking home from school in light rain when the accused called out to her and invited her into his vehicle.

The victim’s mother is the aunt of the accused’s wife.

The sessions court found the man guilty on March 7 last year and sentenced him to eight years in prison and two strokes of the rotan under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

The court also ordered the man to undergo rehabilitation counselling while in detention under Section 26 of the same Act.

He is also required to undergo two years of police supervision after completing his prison term, as stipulated under Section 27 of the same Act.

His appeal to the High Court was dismissed on Feb 27 this year.

At today’s proceedings before the Court of Appeal, the man was represented by lawyers Hafizuddin Selamat and T Haressh, while deputy public prosecutor Iznina Hanim Hashim appeared for the prosecution.