Soldier jailed 16 years for raping teen

KOTA BARU: An army personnel has been sentenced to 16 years' jail and two strokes of the rotan by the sessions court for raping a teenager in front of others in Pasir Puteh on Oct 15, 2015.
Judge Nazri Ismail handed down the sentence to Muhammad Bukhori Muhammad Zawawi, 21, after the defence failed to prove reasonable doubt at the end of the case.
Lawyer Datuk Shukri Mohamed appealed to the court to postpone the sentence to allow the defence to appeal in the High Court.
The court will decide tomorrow on the appeal application.
According to the charge, the accused raped an 18-year-old girl in front of others at Bukit Peraksi Semerak, Pasir Puteh at 11pm.
Muhammad Bukhori was charged under Section 376 (2)(c) of the Penal Code which provides for up to 30 years' jail and whipping.
Deputy public prosecutor Azlinawati Arshad asked for a heavy sentence to be imposed to serve as a deterrent to others as the victim was traumatised by the incident.