A lorry driver was charged in the Magistrates Court here today with physically abusing his 13-year-old daughter by hitting her with a stick.
K.Segar, 39, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Magistrate Nadia Othman.
The accused who is from Bentong, Pahang is alleged to have used a stick to hit S.Anusia at unit 8-15, Blok E, Perdana Villa Apartment, Jalan Sungai Jati, Taman Sentosa between Dec 25 last year and the end of last month.
He has been charged unded Section 31 (1) (a of the Child Act which carries a jail sentence of up to 10-years and fine not more than 20,000 or both, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Puteri Iskandariah Md Tahir objected to bail being given on the grounds that the girl was physically abused by her own father and that the matter was of public interest.
Segar, who was unrepresented, did not appeal for bail citing there was no one to bail him.
Nadia set June 3 for re-mention to allow the accused appoint counsel and June 28 for the trial.
On Friday, Segar’s lover Shalina Sundiri Abdullah, 41, also claimed trial in the Sessions Court with causing grievous hurt to Anisah by splashing hot water on the child, hitting her with a rubber hose and stick besides inserting a mop handle and chillis in the the girl’s private part.
She is alleged to have committed the offences during the same period and also has been denied bail.
The case came to light when the accused sent the victim to a child carecentre in Taman Radzi here on May 6. Staff at the centre noticed her injuries an alerted the police.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister ShahrizatJalil when visiting Anusia at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) yesterday said the girl was now under the protection of the Welfare Department.
Shahrizat said Anusia would need long-term counselling to overcome the trauma she had been through.
– Bernama