Suspect arrested in connection with Lawas rape case

MIRI: Police have arrested a 23-year-old suspect in Lawas in relation to a case where a mother allegedly conspired with a karaoke centre operator to force her daughter into prostitution.
Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief SAC Datuk Dev Kumar said the man was detained at 9.30pm on Monday.
"The Lawas CID team arrested the 23-year-old man in front of a restaurant along Jalan Sungai Trusan in Lawas town. We have referred the girl to the state welfare authorities for protection," he told theSun.
He added investigations are ongoing on the role of the new suspect in this case.
The case came to light on Sunday morning after the 14-year-old victim told a village head about her nightmare.
She had claimed that she was raped three times in a hotel in Lawas by a man who had paid the karaoke outlet owner RM1,000.
The mother had allegedly collaborated with the owner of the karaoke outlet, who has since been arrested.
The victim kept the matter to herself for almost six months before revealing it to the village head who subsequently lodged a police report at Lawas district police headquarters.
Police said the case is being investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code for rape and Section 43(1)(a) and (d) of the Child Act 2001.