KUALA LUMPUR: A man of Indian nationality was sentenced to 13 years’ jail and seven strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here today for raping an Indonesian domestic maid.
Judge Noradura Hamzah handed down the sentence on N. Balu, 44, after finding the man guilty of the offence.
In the judgment, she said the court found that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts at the end of the defence case.
“The court took into account the principle that public interest is above the interests of the accused.
“In Malaysia, foreigners are given the freedom to work, or to engage in social activities, but they cannot commit crime as they like, particularly with the government assuring the public of their safety, especially women and children,” she said.
Noradura also said that the accused was not serious when giving his testimony.
“The testimony by the accused was a mere denial, baseless and without merit,“ she added.
Balu was charged with raping the 43-year-old Indonesian maid in a room at a low-cost apartment in Brickfields here at 11am on Dec 16, last year.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nur Farah Adilah Noordin, while lawyer Razman Sahat represented Balu. — Bernama
