From welfare home to jail for ex-pipe installer

PETALING JAYA: A welfare home inmate who raped and committed carnal intercourse against the order of nature on a hearing and speech impaired woman has been sentenced by the Sessions Court here to 15 years in jail and 10 strokes of the cane.
Judge Azwarnida Affandi meted out the punishment to P. Ravi Kumar, 40, after the latter changed his plea to guilty at his trial today, and after considering the 34-year-old victim's impact statement.
The former pipe installer committed the two offences in the toilet of a welfare home here at 3.30pm on June 19.
For the rape charge under Section 376(2) of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of 30 years and whipping, Ravi received 15 years and seven strokes.
For the second charge under Section 377C of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping, he received five years and three strokes.
The judge ordered the two sentences to run concurrently.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Norazalina Razali urged the court to impose the maximum punishment considering the trauma suffered by the victim, and to serve as a lesson to society.
"The accused intentionally took advantage of the frailty of the victim. It was obvious that the victim while giving her impact statement was still feeling traumatised and had burst into tears when she saw the accused in the dock.
In mitigation, Ravi who was unrepresented said he had repented and wanted to take care of his ailing mother. — Bernama